Duel at Zanarkand
by Belladona's Supplicant
Summary: First 15 chapters focus on Auron's friendship with Jecht, and an eventual showdown between the two. The party is split up on separate missions in an altered plot line. The rest of the story follows Yuna on her quest to bring harmony to Spira in the new Calm and destroy the 10 spawn of Sin. Yuna must defeat Seymour and New Yevon, as well as Setanta and his conquering army.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1 : Auron's Arrival**

In Luca, the Blitzball tournament had ruled the day from morning to afternoon. People from across Spira were gathered there, to watch their teams compete. The games were now drawing to a close however, with a very climactic and unexpected conclusion; the Besaid Aurochs had swept the victory and taken the cup. Their two best players, Wakka and the newcomer Tidus, had narrowly beaten the Luca Goers. Now the crowds are roaring in both shock and glee, and Tidus was helping the wounded and exhausted Captain Wakka to leave the arena.

As they were about to reach the exit, suddenly something changed in the arena, and they could hear the crowd screaming outside the water-sphere. Sahagin fiends appeared in the water around them, and they had to fight their way through to the exit. Once Tidus and Wakka had made their way into the benches of the arena, they saw that the legion of fiends was still pouring in.

"What's happening?" Tidus shouted out loud.

"No clue brutha… this is crazy! Sin must be nearby, ya?" Wakka replied, and he prepared for an attack. Tidus cleaved through a lupine fiend as it charged toward him. Then they saw a large drake fiend appear in the arena, and it turned toward them. Just then, Lulu, Yuna and Kimahri rushed up behind them to provide support. As they stood awaiting the attack, suddenly a figure in a long red coat with a big katana dropped from a ledge above and landed nimbly on the floor between them and the fiend.

"Wait… isn't that Sir Auron?" Lulu asked, bewildered and amazed. Tidus immediately recognized him, but he was surprised that he had appeared then out of nowhere.

"Hey! Auron!" he called to him. He could see Auron turn slightly and look over his shoulder at them briefly.

"Get ready for a hard fight!" Auron said to them with his rough, wizened voice. He slid his crippled arm out from the folds of his coat, and took a swig from his jug of whiskey. Then he took hold of his katana and stood ready in his battle stance, staring down the drake with a sharp gaze. He looked like a lion in winter, emanating natural power and purity of mind, with blazing courage of the heart. Lulu was drawn to his side then, and she rushed forward, conjuring up her magic to aid him. Auron glanced aside at her then, and their eyes met, just before he lunged forth and cut through the chest of the drake, slaying it instantly.

"You made that look easy!" Lulu said, impressed. Auron grinned confidently.

"Remember to pace yourselves…" He said. More fiends appeared on the aisle of the arena seats, and began moving toward them. The arena was swiftly filling up with the devils, but then suddenly there was a magical light flashing from the VIP section of the arena. It was Maester Seymour, performing a summoning. The magical doorways opened, and a large anchor suspended from a chain pulled up a creature from out of the darkness of another realm. Soon there materialized a giant, monstrous Aeon. It was the beast called Anima, an Aeon which no other summoners had conjured since the Baaj Temple had been destroyed by Sin. The Aeon let out a blood-curdling screech and then it's one good eye began to glow. Abruptly it shot out a beam of magical power, incinerating its target instantly, turning it to scattering pyreflies. Garuda birds were blasted to pyreflies as they flew around the arena, and lupines, drakes and coeurls were blown away as well. Soon the fiends had all fled or been dispatched, and the whole arena gazed upon Seymour and his Aeon in awe, murmuring in bewilderment.

They soon left the arena, and Lulu followed after Auron as he walked toward the docks.

"Sir Auron, is it really you?" She asked him. Auron turned and looked back at her.

"Yes, that's me. And you are?" He asked her.

"My name is Lulu… I'm a guardian. Lady Yuna's guardian, specifically; Lord Braska's daughter…" She said.

"Yes, of course. I'll be speaking with her soon. Right now I need to meet with Tidus. It's been my pleasure to meet you, Lulu." He said, and he stepped closer and extended his hand. Lulu hesitated a moment, but then she placed her hand in his gentle grip. Their eyes met for that moment, and she felt a tender warmth flowing throughout his aura. He released her abruptly and turned to walk away down to the docks.

Auron reached the cargo pier in the docks, where he had said he would meet with Tidus. He found the youth waiting for him there, clearly agitated and impatient. As soon as Auron stepped near Tidus immediately flew into a tangent.

"Where the hell have you been, Old Man? I've been dragged all across this world since you brought me here! Why? What the hell am I doing here?" Tidus demanded. Auron simply gazed at him in silence. Tidus lunged forward then and slammed his fists against Auron's chest. He gripped the sides of his coat and shook him.

"Hey you! Don't just stand there! This is your fault, do you hear me! All of it! You brought me here! I got swallowed by Sin, dropped off in Spira, now I can't go home to Zanarkand! It's _your_ fault old man!"

Tidus was standing there fuming and glaring at Auron, who still said nothing. Then slowly he began to chuckle, and then he laughed loudly. Finally Tidus released him, and paced about anxiously. Auron looked back toward the city then. Finally Tidus spoke again.

"Who are you, anyway?" He asked. "You knew my old man, didn't you?"

"Yeah." Auron answered plainly.

"And you also knew Yuna's father?" Tidus continued.

"That's correct." Auron replied.

"Hey man, there's no way… that's just impossible!" Tidus retorted, blustering.

"Nothing impossible about it…" Auron insisted. "Jecht, Braska and I… together we defeated Sin ten years ago. Then I went to Zanarkand, where I watched over you… so that one day I could bring you to Spira."

"Why did it have to be me?" Tidus asked indignantly, and he turned and faced away.

"Jecht asked me to." Auron said. Tidus hesitated for a moment, then he turned back to face Auron again.

"Is he alive?" Tidus asked.

"It depends on what you mean by 'alive'. He is, no longer human. But then… I felt something of Jecht, there in that shell. Couldn't you?" Auron pondered aloud. Then he spoke words that shook Tidus to his core. "You must have felt him, when you came in contact with Sin…"

Tidus was deeply disheartened then.

"It can't be…" he said.

"It is. Sin is Jecht." Auron told him. Tidus tensed up, and abruptly he snapped.

"No! That's ridiculous! I don't believe you! No way!" He shouted, and he faced away.

"But it is the truth. You'll see for yourself. Come with me." Auron urged him. Tidus shifted uneasily.

"What if I say no?" He asked.

"Every story must have an ending." Jecht said, almost as if indifferent, but that was not the truth of it. In truth he knew that his part in Spira's destiny had to be fulfilled.

"I don't care about your stories!" Tidus snapped.

"I see. Sorry you feel that way. Fine then, come or don't come it's your decision." Auron said. Tidus panicked then and began to rant.

"So what am I supposed to say? You tell me it's my decision, but I don't really have a choice, do I? You're the one who knows this world, you know what's going on… I have to go with you! I have to!" Tidus shouted. He walked away a few steps and slumped over.

"Irritating, I know. Or… are you afraid?" Auron asked him. He stepped closer to Tidus then and placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's alright. Believe me, I've been through a lot, but as long as you just keep going, it'll be alright. Everything has to work itself out eventually, after all. That's the way of things."

Tidus stood up then, a bit less tense, but still anxious. After a long moment he spoke again.

"Auron… will I ever go back home to Zanarkand?" He asked.

"That's up to Jecht. I'm going to offer my services to Yuna. Come on." Auron beckoned him. Auron strode away then, leaving Tidus alone in the docks. Tidus lingered there in solitary contemplation for a few moments, but then he followed after Jecht, through the city of Luca to the steps of its northern exit. They met Yuna and the others on the platform there, just beneath the Mi'ihen Highroad. When they arrived Lulu was speaking to Yuna.

"You were right, he did meet someone he knew. Apparently Sir Auron knows him somehow…" She said.

"I wonder if he'll stay… I wonder if he'll be able to get back to Zanarkand."

"Who knows…" Wakka said. Then they saw Auron step onto the platform and walk toward them, with Tidus in tow.

"Sir Auron!" Lulu exclaimed when she saw him. He stepped forward then and nodded at her. He turned to Yuna and spoke.

"Lady Yuna, I've come to offer my services as a guardian." He said. Immediately everyone gasped in shock.

"You have?!" Yuna said, bewildered.

"Yes. If it's alright. If not, just say so…" Auron said.

"Yes! Of course! Thank you…" Yuna said hastily.

"But why?" Wakka asked incredulously.

"I promised Braska that I would." Auron replied.

"You did? Well… it's an honor to have you, Sir Auron. Truly it is. I'm grateful." Yuna assured him. Auron reached back and grabbed Tidus by the arm, yanking him up to the forefront.

"This one comes with me. I promised it to Jecht." Auron said. Tidus shyly waved to them all.

"Is Sir Jecht… still alive?" Yuna asked him.

"Can't say. Haven't seen him in ten years… but I have a feeling we'll meet him before the end." Auron surmised. "So then, what's the plan? What is our itinerary?" He asked Lulu as he turned to face her and stepped closer. Yuna and Tidus went to the side of the platform then and were talking together. She made a loud whistle, which interrupted them briefly, while Auron spoke with Lulu.

"I'm honored to serve with you, Sir Auron. You're a legend after all…" Lulu said to him, gazing away, a bit sheepishly. Auron nodded with a grin.

"People say that about me often. They must think I'm some kind of sage. I know how to get by. I learned a lot on the pilgrimage with Jecht and Braska, and of course my training from Yevon helped. Anyway, thank you for saying it. So now then, where are we headed next?" He asked her.

"We will cross the Mi'ihen Highroad, then take Mushroom Rock Road to Djose." She informed him. He nodded briefly, but not in approval.

"I understand that's the most direct route, and we shouldn't skip Djose Temple… but I suggest we take another way, or else forestall the pilgrimage for a brief time. I've heard of the operation about to commence on Mushroom Rock Road. We should stay clear of it." Auron advised ominously.

"Really? What do you think will happen?" She asked him anxiously.

"They're going to try to fight Sin, without Aeons. It won't go well. The Crusaders and the Al-Bhed are over-matched. Yevon is letting them do it, but I don't think they're ready. It will be a disaster." Auron predicted. As he said this, suddenly Wakka had a heated outburst.

"Damn those Al-Bhed! Them and their machina weapons! They'll lose 'cuz they defy Yevon's teachings! Why would the Maesters allow this mission, with our own Crusaders?" Wakka asked indignantly.

"To humble them… perhaps to punish them. Either way, we shouldn't get involved. I say we should steer clear." Auron repeated his warning.

"Where would we go then?" Lulu asked him.

"We should find a boat to take us up the east coast, and drop us off near the bridge to Djose Temple. Sin may be in the waters nearby, but if we take a small schooner and keep to the shallows it won't come after us." Auron suggested. Lulu nodded slowly.

"I understand. We should ask Yuna. It's her pilgrimage after all…" Lulu said.

"Of course. But she is young, and needs guidance. It's good that she has your wisdom and experience on her side." Auron said. Lulu blushed then, and tried with every fiber of her being to suppress it.

"Well it's a good thing we have you with us then. Of course, I'll ask her now…" Lulu said, and she turned to face Yuna and Tidus. Suddenly the two of them began laughing loudly, and intentionally. Lulu and all the others were taken aback by this, yet the laughter continued, sounding more awkward than ever, then finally it became natural and genuine. They spoke to each other, then Tidus turned around and saw all of their companions watching him in bewilderment.

"What are you looking at?" He asked them.

"We were just worried you guys might have gone crazy…" Wakka replied.

"You two are feeling alright, I hope?" Lulu asked.

"Never better. Well now… are we ready to go?" Tidus inquired eagerly.

"Not yet. We need to go back to the docks, and find a boatman to take us up the coast to Djose." Auron said. Yuna looked wide-eyed upon him.

"Sir Auron, are you sure?" She asked, puzzled. She had planned to take the customary route of the summoners' pilgrimage, on foot through Mi'ihen and on the Mushroom Rock Road.

"I would strongly advise it. The choice is yours, however." He said.

"I trust in your wisdom… but I'm not sure we have the gil to spare." She said with concern.

"I've got a decent sum saved up. I'll find someone who will take us all, in a timely manner. Leave it to me." Auron said to her. Yuna nodded and bowed respectfully. Auron bowed briefly himself, and then strode back into Luca. The rest of the party followed after him at a leisurely pace. When they reached the docks, Tidus and Yuna walked together to the cargo pier. Kimahri went with them, and Wakka and Lulu as well. Auron walked up and down the docks until he came to a small pier to the northeast. He saw what he wanted there. Fishing vessels and small schooners were docked there, and their captains tended them or went about their work drawing in and cleaning up fish. Auron approached one boat with two bright green sails. A white-haired and bearded old man kept it.

"Excuse me. You wouldn't be interested in hiring out as a transporter, would you?" Auron asked him. The old man gave him a curious look.

"To transport what exactly, old boy?" The old man asked him.

"A summoner, and her five guardians. That's all." Auron answered plainly. The old man's eyes lit up then.

"A girl summoner? Would that be the young lady Yuna? Braska's little girl?" He asked.

"Yes, it's her." Auron said.

"Well then… it would be an honor. I hope you'll be comfortable aboard my boat; it's not very big, the cabin and under-deck are cramped maybe, but cozy I think. Where would I be taking you to?" He asked eagerly.

"Up the coast to Djose, staying in the shallows close to land." Auron said. The old man nodded.

"Of course, of course. I'm afraid you'll have to give me some time, but I'll be ready by evening. If you don't mind departing by night, that is…" The old man said. Auron nodded in acceptance.

"That will suit us just fine. What would you like for payment?" Auron asked him.

"Well, what have you got?" The old man asked.

"Five-thousand gil." Auron said.

"I'll do it for two then. Best keep yourselves well-funded on the pilgrimage, right?" The old man said. Auron grinned with appreciation.

"Thanks a lot… by the way, what's your name?" He asked.

"I'm called Ryu. And you? You seem familiar… you are Auron, aren't you?" The old man guessed.

"Yes. How did you know?" Auron asked.

"Well most people know of you. I heard you were back. I'm an old man, Sir Auron, and I know a thing or two. I can see some things that other people can't. I guess I don't know exactly why you're back, but I'm sure you have a good reason, so I'll help you however I can." The old man said knowingly. Auron pondered this a moment with his head tilted a bit. He nodded in acceptance and went to go back to the rest of the party. On the way, he saw Lulu walking toward him alone. He met her beside an empty pier.

"Did you find what you were looking for, Sir Auron?" She asked him.

"I did. We'll be ready to leave tonight." He replied.

"That was quick…" Lulu remarked.

"I've got the luck of a vagabond, I suppose…I've been doing this for a long time after all." Auron said.

"Really? That's quite a life. Where were you all this time, since the last pilgrimage?" She asked him.

"I've been keeping to myself mostly. No one would have seen me around, I know that." Auron said vaguely.

"And doing what?" She asked, perplexed.

"Meditating. Training. Focusing. I had to be ready for this, like I promised to Jecht and Braska. They're counting on me now." He said with determination.

"Did he really want Yuna to become a summoner?" Lulu asked him.

"No. But he knew it would happen. And he made me promise to see things put right. And you? Did you want to keep her in Besaid?" He asked. Lulu nodded.

"Of course. She's like a little sister to me. She has a mind of her own, however, and very strong heart. I certainly couldn't let her go without me." She said. Auron nodded.

"It's good that she has loved ones and friends with her on the journey. But it will get hard at times. That's the tradeoff… trust and love, or discipline and duty. I think trust is stronger though. That's how it was for us on my first pilgrimage, when we finally became friends rather than just colleagues." Auron said, reminiscing. Lulu gazed upon him in the sunlight that shone a golden hue upon him between the flags and banners above them, and in that moment he glowed a magnificent color. She nodded once her awareness returned, and replied to his sentiment.

"I understand, and I agree. Hopefully we'll all grow to trust each other on this pilgrimage as well." Lulu said. Auron nodded solemnly, and strode past her then.

"Let's get the others, and find a place to rest until tonight." He spoke as he went. Lulu watched him for a moment, observing the confident but steady and solemn nature of his strides. She followed him then, and they found their companions still waiting on the cargo pier. Yuna saw them first and called out to them.

"Auron! Lulu! Did you find a boat for us?" She asked. Auron nodded.

"We're fortunate that he gave us a good price. The boat is small, but it should fit us comfortably for the trip. It won't take too long after all." Auron surmised.

"Excellent! We'll wait in the cafe until it's time to go!" Yuna suggested. Auron merely nodded, and they all went back into the market district of Luca, to the cafe where they had searched for Auron earlier. They took their seats and ordered a round of drinks. The Aurochs were there, celebrating their victory, with the tall trophy sitting in the middle of their table. When they saw Wakka again they all cheered uproariously and came to meet him, and they dragged him away to their table.

"I'm so glad that we decided to take your advice, Sir Auron. I didn't want Wakka to say goodbye to his team so quickly. They won the tournament after all, for the first time in years!" Yuna said gleefully, smiling at Auron. Auron grinned.

"Enjoy it while it lasts." Auron said, and he took a seat in a booth near the corner, sipping whiskey from his white clay jug. Yuna and Tidus sat together nearby the Aurochs, and Kimahri stayed with them. Lulu was alone then, and not wishing to delve into the riotous noise of the victorious team, she instead walked slowly over to sit with Auron.

"May I sit here, Sir Auron?" She asked.

"Sure." He replied. Lulu pulled the chair out from the table across from him, and sat down with her hands rested upon the table, showing her delicate fingers and many fine rings. Auron merely grinned faintly at her and sipped his whiskey once more.

"What do you think will happen on the way to Djose? What will happen to the Crusaders? And if we encounter Sin, what then?" She asked him with concern.

"I think the operation will fail… and if any of them survive it will be a miracle. I don't think Sin will come after us. I doubt it will even notice as we slip by, if it's not already gone before then." Auron surmised. Lulu gazed down gloomily.

"Is there nothing we can do for them?" She asked. Auron shook his head.

"I told their commander, Lucille, not to go through with it, when I met her in Luca a couple days ago. I had heard of their plans, and Yevon's sanction of it. She wouldn't listen; they seem determined to go through with it. I understand… they want to rid the world of Sin without sacrificing anymore young people. I once wanted the same. But it's too late for them; we have to move on and complete the pilgrimage. Then you'll see the truth." He said cryptically. Lulu watched him anxiously then, wondering what he might mean, but she was afraid to ask then.

"I see… and you have already seen it, Sir Auron? But you don't seem to be content with the truth. Will we be as distraught with it as you are?" She asked. Auron shrugged his shoulders.

"No… it will be different this time, I hope. Time will tell. Until then, we shouldn't make the journey harder with low morale. Can I get you a drink, Lulu?" He asked her. Lulu was slightly taken aback by his offer, but she nodded graciously and smiled. Auron motioned for the barkeep to come to them, and asked for white wine. Lulu was poured a generous amount in a perfectly round sparkling glass, and she sipped it appreciatively while Auron drank more of his whiskey.

"You fought well today in the stadium…" Lulu complimented him. Auron nodded gratefully.

"Your magic was of great help." He replied. Lulu got up from her seat and sat in the booth beside him then, and looked at his scarred, bad eye, which was no longer of any use to him. Having shed her inhibitions in a pool of white spirits, she reached her hand up and gently traced her fingers over his scar.

"How did you lose your eye? Was it on the pilgrimage?" She asked him softly.

"No, it was afterward. I lost it in battle with a powerful fiend." Auron said vaguely. Lulu simply nodded in understanding.

"Did you have to face it alone?" She asked.

"I chose to… but yes, I had to do it." He answered. Lulu gazed upon him sympathetically, but in bewilderment.

"You should get over that habit; I saw it in you when you stood alone in the stadium. You don't always have to stand alone." She said to him. Auron looked upon her, and saw the warm light glowing in her amber eyes, and he nodded in acceptance.

"Maybe not. But if I have to, I will." He assured her. Lulu glanced away then, and saw that the rest of their friends were watching them, and were quiet. She stood up from the booth quickly then.

"Thank you for the drink, Sir Auron." She said, and she walked away swiftly toward the tavern door.

"Anytime." Auron said to her back as she went. Tidus came striding over to Auron then and spoke.

"Something going on, Old Man?" The youth asked. Auron shrugged.

"I don't know. But I'm sure I'll find out. Probably the hard way, as usual." Auron said with a low chuckle, disdainful of his hard luck.

"We've got important things to think about now, we don't need any extra drama." Tidus said to him. Auron looked upon him with a beam of amusement in his one good eye.

"So much like Jecht; that's how you sounded just now." Auron said, and he laughed shortly.

"What are you trying to say, Old Man?" Tidus demanded. Auron merely shook his head and stood up from the booth, striding slowly past the youth.

"That you're right… and it's time for us to go. The boatman will be waiting for us in the docks, and we've got a long way to ride." Auron replied plainly. As he walked out of the tavern, all the rest of the party followed him, and they walked through the city streets under the dusk light, toward the docks.

When they arrived, they found the old boatman and boarded his schooner, and he took them gliding upon the waters northward, straddling the coastline, on the way to Djose. A bright crescent moon was above, and shimmering on the waters beside them as they went, and they knew that the next step in their journey would be a profound one.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: The Proposition**

The company sailed over the nighttime seas in the schooner, several of them sitting on the top deck and watching the stars, while the others rested in the bunks below deck.

Auron was sitting on a bench by the side rail, at the stern of the schooner. He leaned against the rail and looked up at the sky. The crescent moon was high in the sky by then, as midnight drew close. He let out a deep sigh then, and thought of Braska and Jecht, and his purpose in returning to the world. He took a short sip of whiskey from his jug, and sighed again.

"Braska, rest in peace." He said, as he poured a few drops of fiery spirits over the stern and into the foamy sea, as an offering. A feminine voice ushered in gently then, youthful and chipper. Auron was startled slightly, and he glanced to her quickly in surprise.

"Do you still think of him often… my father?" Yuna asked him, with a warm grin.

"All the time. Everywhere I go, I think of the pilgrimage. We traveled across all of Spira. So there's no place without a memory, either good or bad." Auron replied. Yuna pursed her lips and tilted her head inquisitively.

"Did you face many hardships on the pilgrimage, Sir Auron?" She asked him.

"Quite a few, but we always managed to pull through. Jecht was a great fighter, and he never could back down from anything. He got us into more trouble than we should have reasonably expected." Auron replied, reflecting with a smirk.

"Did he really? How funny… I remembered him being so serious…" Yuna remarked.

"He always was rough with kids. I don't think he knew how to relate to them. He was the no-nonsense type, and a little bit too intense, maybe. Braska always seemed to make excuses for him though. The two of them got along like brothers…" Auron reminisced. Yuna laughed happily.

"And what about you and Father? How do you remember him?" Yuna asked eagerly. Auron saw the yearning gleam in her eyes, and decided to indulge her.

"Braska… now that was a man of duty. I remember how noble and high-minded he was. He was honorable and proper, to a fault perhaps, but he was also accommodating and good-natured. He was the one that kept us all together, to be honest. It took awhile for me to get along with Jecht. I was… too rigid back then, I think. I'm glad I got over it, before the pilgrimage was over." Auron said, with a faint touch of lament.

"It's good that the three of you became friends in the end… I'm glad to hear it. Thank you for speaking so kindly of my father…" Yuna said softly, with a proud smile.

"I would never do otherwise. He was the greatest man I ever knew. Jecht was the second greatest…" Auron said solemnly. Yuna looked down at the deck, and after a moment she spoke again, with a soft and cautious voice.

"I really appreciate your services, Sir Auron. It's an honor and privilege to have you for my guardian, especially because you served my father, and so I don't ever want you to think that I'm ungrateful… but may I ask…" Yuna hesitated then.

"Go on. I won't be offended." Auron prompted her.

"Well, Sir Auron, don't you think you've done enough? Didn't you ever want to settle down, and live your own life?" Yuna asked him considerately. Auron grinned, but shook his head.

"It's kind of you to ask, but not necessary. I don't have any other life to live, Yuna. This is who I am now, and this is my last mission. I'll see it through. Your father wanted you to inherit a new and better world. He wanted that for all of Spira. I'm going to see it arrive, and neither life or death will get in the way. I'm just one man after all. My own comfort and happiness are not so precious." Auron said to her, with a weary voice, but with utter determination. Yuna's expression was somewhat saddened then, but she nodded in acceptance and tried to look as though she agreed.

"Thank you again, Sir Auron." Yuna said, and then she bowed and walked away.

"You're welcome." Auron replied, and he turned his gaze back out to the shimmering night seas. He sat there for a long time, and it was soon past midnight and into the dark small hours of the morning. Everyone else had gone to sleep in the bunks and hammocks below deck. He heard the cabin door open, however, and soon he saw Lulu's tall and buxom figure striding across the deck with her graceful, feminine gait. Auron's eye brightened then, unintentionally. He saw her pale face, gleaming warmly, and her amber eyes shone in the moonlight.

"No rest for you then, Sir Auron? I know you're a tough old legendary guardian, but surely you'll be like the walking dead tomorrow…" Lulu said with concern.

"Indeed…" Auron said, chuckling. Lulu tilted her head slightly and gave him a curious look, and she stepped closer and leaned on the guardrail, standing next to the bench where he sat.

"Well it is a lovely night, I suppose." She said. Auron nodded.

"Oh yeah… and what about yourself? Too anxious to sleep?" Auron asked her.

"To be honest, yes… I'm afraid of what will meet us tomorrow. I'm sure we'll get through alright, but I can't help wondering what could be happening to the Crusaders and the Al Bhed." She said with a dreary tone.

"I understand. I don't blame you. I've thought of it too. That's why this pilgrimage is so important. We need to finish off Sin, quickly." Auron said.

"I know… it's that rush that comes with every pilgrimage. This is my third, but it's the same as the others were. I feel guilty though…" She lamented.

"Why?" Auron asked.

"I feel like I shouldn't be in such a rush, to give up Yuna for good. After this pilgrimage is over, she'll be gone. The little girl that I helped raise, will be gone forever." Lulu said, and her voice faltered as her eyes moistened up. Auron sighed softly and looked down at the deck.

"It's painful, I know." Auron said.

"She's like my little sister. When we were both young, before I became a guardian, we used to play in the shallows and on the beach, and run through the forests of Besaid together. I thought it would be easier to be her guardian, since we were so close, but it's not at all. It's much worse than before." Lulu said in anguish. Auron stood up and stepped beside her, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"She may not be the one to reach Zanarkand first. We still don't know. Whatever happens, we'll face it together, but there may be another way…" Auron said, trying to comfort her. Lulu turned her face to look at him, and glistening tears ran down her cheeks.

"How can there be another way? If the Crusaders fall tomorrow, who else could possibly fight against Sin?" She asked.

"Who knows. Anything could happen. If they get lucky, they might win tomorrow. If not, then we'll carry on with the pilgrimage." Auron said. He was certain that it was not true, but he wanted her to feel some kind of relief then. Lulu turned and hugged him, and rested her face upon his chest. Auron was a bit surprised by this, but he wrapped his good arm around her shoulder, and his lame arm around her waist.

"What will I do after the pilgrimage, when I go back to besaid without her? What is it like, to finish the pilgrimage as a guardian?" She asked him.

"It's a bitter feeling, honestly. The memories of the pilgrimage are brighter afterward. But life is a lot darker. I'm sure you know, don't you? You've done this before?" Auron asked.

"I never completed a pilgrimage. I became a guardian when I was Yuna's age. My first pilgrimage didn't go so well; the summoner dropped out when we reached the Calm Lands. My second pilgrimage ended on the slopes of Gagazet, in a cave I lost my summoner. She died. I suppose it prepared me for this… I haven't cried in a long, long time. But now that it's Yuna… I just couldn't help it." Lulu admitted sullenly.

"There's no shame in it so long as we carry on. It's alright to show your feelings for your friends, if they truly are that strong. I never did, until the end. Now I regret it." Auron said. Lulu lifted her head from his chest and looked up into his eye.

"Thank you, Sir Auron. I'm glad you're here with us now. I feel… that you have become the strength of our group." She said to him. They both smiled, and sat down together in a hammock that hung by the back wall of the cabin. They talked for a while there, until they drifted off into sleep.

The next morning, the sound of seagulls and of the winds and tide gently woke Auron, as the morning light began to grow brighter and reflect like gold upon the waters. He opened his eye, and peered at the haziness around him until his vision cleared up. He felt Lulu's head resting upon his chest, and her hand upon his bicep. They were both rocking gently in the hammock together. He laid there for a while, and let her wake up on her own. As she began to stir, she looked up and their eyes met once more, and they were very close to each other then. She got up and stepped across the deck, stretching her legs and back. Auron sat up in the hammock, flexing his shoulders and the muscles of his arms. They had fallen asleep so suddenly he barely remembered how they had gotten into that position, but he imaged that a bit of whiskey had helped.

Auron stood up and looked over the side of the schooner, toward the coastline. They were still on the way to Djose. Then suddenly he heard a blast from far away down the coast, and as he looked further north he saw the flames of the explosion in the distance. Auron went back to Lulu, seeing the shock in her fair face, and he took hold of her arm and led her back to the cabin door. As they reached it, the door opened and Kimahri and Wakka came rushing out, gazing across the horizon.

"Aye, what's goin' on out here?" Wakka asked in surprise and bewilderment.

"We're near the operation's battlefront! We need to tell the captain to slow down and wait until it's over!" Auron said. Wakka ran to the pilot's control booth at the front of the ship then, and soon Yuna and Tidus appeared above deck to join them all. Auron strode toward the bow of the schooner, watching the horizon. He could faintly hear the bursts of cannon fire in the distance, and he saw a large plume of dark smoke rising over Mushroom Rock Road. A dark haze was growing in the distance, and they could see Sin in the waters of a bay, beside the rocky road to Djose. A surge of power sprang forth from Sin like a lightning bolt, and it vaporized everything in its path. The flash from it was blinding, and they all hid their eyes for that moment. When they opened them again, they saw that Sin was gone. As Auron gazed across the sea, he finally found Sin's upper back drifting away in the eastern ocean, like a giant fin or some mountain gliding through the waters. Then it was gone.

"What just happened?!" Yuna asked in shock.

"It's over… the operation failed." Auron said grimly.

"We have to go to them! We have to help them, if there are any survivors!" Yuna said frantically. Auron knew she wouldn't compromise on this, and now that Sin had gone he saw no reason not to allow it.

"Alright. I'll tell the captain. We'll see if there's a place to land, and if anyone is left to save." Auron said.

When they arrived, the shore was a dismal scene, all across Mushroom Rock Road and the end of the Mi'ihen Highroad. The sands were littered with ruinous tumult, shrapnel and fallen machina, and the bodies of slain Crusaders and Al-Bhed, slowly dispersing into pyreflies. Operation Mi'ihen had unfolded in unmitigated disaster. They landed, and the party swiftly split up to search the area.

Tidus and Auron walked across the ruined battlefield for several hours, helping the wounded to their feet, if they could walk, and calling on priests and healers to recover those who could not. It was a heartbreaking experience, to see what had been left behind by Sin; what the titan fiend could unleash in a mere instant. Auron and Tidus searched until they could find no one else, and then they went back to the beach.

"I can't believe this! Why would he keep doing this? He creates misery everywhere he goes!" Tidus shouted.

"That's what Sin does. It could be, that he wanted you to see this." Auron surmised.

"What? Why would you say that? What the hell are you talking about old man?" Tidus demanded fiercely.

"He wants you to understand what this is all about, so that when the time comes you won't hesitate. He wants to make sure you have the resolve needed… to finish the pilgrimage. To kill him." Auron explained darkly. Tidus grimaced then, and his eyes grew damp in anguish.

Not far away, Yuna was dancing on the beach, twirling her wand to send off the souls of the dead to the Farplane. Her lachrymose face was streaming with tears, but she moved with angelic grace and perfect fluidness. Behind her, Paine came rushing across the beach, too hurried to stop, but just observant enough to notice Yuna there before moving on with her own mission. Further up on the coast, another person noticed Yuna's smooth and hypnotic movements. It was Seymour Guado. He was spellbound by her in that moment; by her beauty and poise, but also by her gentleness and the perfect innocence that was evident in her every move, that he had seen in her face and in her eyes the moment he first met her. He had seen her dedication in her desperation to summon and fight Sin, before he had dissuaded her. Seymour knew that she was the proper choice for his plans, and his desire was inflamed.

Seymour walked down the beach to meet her, as Yuna began to wind down from the Sending. He knew that her companions were all scattered and would not find her for some time yet, and so he could speak to her in private. He called to her with his high yet elegant voice.

"Lady Yuna, your work is done here. Perhaps you should find your guardians and take some rest. You still have a long way ahead of you on the pilgrimage." He said to her. Yuna turned slowly to face him and rose to her feet.

"Maester Seymour… I apologize, if I acted wrongly in any way…" She said anxiously. Seymour shook his head gently.

"No, Yuna. Don't burden yourself with regrets. You are doing much for the people of Spira, and taking a very hard path. No one will judge you for it, if you falter along the way." He assured her. Yuna nodded in solemn acceptance.

"Thank you, Maester Seymour." She said. Seymour stepped closer to her then and took her chin in his grasp, lifting her face to meet his gaze.

"There is something that you could do, to help the people of Spira and alleviate their misery, to give them hope and happiness. Ultimately you could help me to end their suffering…" He suggested to her. Yuna's eyes brightened immediately.

"How can I help, Maester! What must I do?" She asked eagerly. Seymour smiled darkly.

"Continue, on the way to Guadosalam. I will have a proposition for you when you arrive there. It may change your course for a time. Please, I urge you to think on it. Meet me there, when you are ready. Until then, farewell my Lady Yuna." Seymour said, gazing into her warmly, and Yuna suddenly felt his intentions, or so she thought. She nodded hastily, and then Seymour released her and turned to depart on the Mushroom Rock Road. As he walked up to the road, Kimahri, Wakka and Lulu came rushing down to find Yuna.

"There you are! We've been looking for you for some time now!" Lulu said.

"I'm sorry… I tried to send everyone that I could, and I wasn't paying attention to anything else." Yuna explained. She stepped closer and embraced Lulu, and her eyes were damp.

"You did a good job. Don't worry about them now; they've been sent. We'll continue on the road to Djose." Lulu spoke softly to her.

"Alright, I'm ready." Yuna said, and they released each other. Then suddenly they heard a rough, masculine voice calling them from the road at the top of the hill. It was Auron.

"Let's go!" He said, and he turned and walked onward down Mushroom Rock Road. Tidus was there, waiting for them, and he walked beside Yuna as she crested the hill and went along the road. The rest of the company followed them, and they made their way on the red sands of the road on Djose's coast, toward the temple of Djose. Now that Sin had gone the region seemed relatively peaceful and quiet, and the shallow sea to their east was calm. As they were about half the way down the road to the temple, Yuna stopped suddenly in her tracks. Everyone else walked past her, until Tidus reached her, and he stopped to gaze sidelong at her.

"Something up?" He asked curiously. Yuna glanced about from side to side.

"I thought I heard something…" She said.

"Huh? Like what?" Tidus asked.

"Someone breathing, like they're injured." She replied, and then she turned and looked behind her to her right, at the pillars of stone along the road by the ledge that overlooked the sea. There was a young woman sitting there with her back to one of the orange stone pillars, and she was obviously wounded. She had short black hair, with two braids in it, dangling from her temples, and she wore military fatigues. Her eyes were closed, but her chest heaved with her heavy breathing. Yuna quickly stepped over and knelt down in front of the young woman. She looked to be a young teenage girl, certainly no older than Yuna. As she sensed Yuna's presence, the girl opened her eyes and they shone bright, ruby red.

"Are you alright? Let me try to heal you…" Yuna said hastily, and she raised her hands to work her magic. Blue light flowed from her hands and washed over the girl's figure, and then she relaxed and her breathing settled down. She slowly began to stand up.

"Thanks a lot." She said, with a quiet, somewhat deep voice, for a girl.

"You're welcome. Will you be okay now?" Yuna asked compassionately.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I owe you." The girl said conscientiously, and almost as if she really did feel obligated to return Yuna's kindness.

"Don't worry about it; I was glad to help. My name is Yuna. Who are you?" Yuna asked her.

"My name is Paine." The girl introduced herself. Yuna bowed graciously.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. Were you with the Crusaders at Operation Mi'ihen?" Yuna asked. Paine hesitated for an instant, but then she nodded and affirmed as much.

"Yeah…" She said.

"Well, if you want you can come with us to Djose Temple. You'll be able to get supplies at the trading post and rest there if you need to…" Yuna offered. Paine nodded again.

"Sure… thank you." She said. Yuna beckoned for her to follow then, and she turned and walked down the road until they caught up with the rest of the group. As they reached the fork in the road to Djose Temple, Auron turned back from his lead and looked upon the company. It was then that he saw Paine among them. He strode back to inspect her.

"Who is this?" He asked.

"Her name is Paine. She was a Crusader. I found her wounded on the side of the road and healed her. I invited her to travel to the temple with us." Yuna explained. Auron looked upon her bright red eyes for a moment, but then he nodded and turned back to the temple.

"Was that a yes?" Paine asked softly.

"Of course! Don't worry about Auron. He's short with words, but he's well-meaning." Yuna said to her. Paine's eyes widened in disbelief then.

"Wait… that was Auron, the guardian of Braska?" Paine asked in surprise.

"Yes, he's the one who went on pilgrimage with my father Braska, and with Tidus' father Jecht. It's quite amazing, isn't it?" Yuna said with a smile.

"Totally…" Paine agreed.

They continued on the road until they turned right at the fork, and continued over the stone bridges to Djose Temple. When they arrived in the sandy circle in front of the temple, they could see a giant stone pillar with a small doorway at the bottom. There was a small shop and a traveller's rest station, and a few of the Crusaders were staying there. They saw the chocobo knights there, with only one chocobo left between the three of them. Lucille and Elma greeted them as they walked by, and Clasko stood behind them.

"I'm glad to see that you made it!" Yuna said to them.

"We nearly didn't, Lady Yuna. We lost all of our chocobos, save for this one." Lucille said.

"I see… I'll pray for you, and I hope that you return home safely." Yuna said, and she bowed to them.

"Thank you, Lady Yuna, but you shouldn't. We've been excommunicated by Yevon, and it's only fitting after we turned away from the teachings. We'll just have to accept whatever fate gives us from now on; we have no protection from the Fayth now." Lucille said gloomily.

"Perhaps you can atone one day. I'll pray for you anyway. Good luck, to all of you." Yuna said lastly, and they saluted her, and then they parted. While they walked on down the path, Yuna turned to face Paine then.

"I must go into the temple to pray. Perhaps we will see you again, once we've finished our duties there?" Yuna asked.

"We'll see. I might still be around. I thank you for your help, Lady Yuna… thank you for everything." Paine said sincerely, and she saluted Yuna, as the young summoner bowed in return. They parted then, and Paine walked into the traveller's station.

As the party went onward toward the temple, suddenly the stone surrounding it split apart and began hovering through the air around it, suspended in a flurry of lightning bolts. Tidus jumped backward then, taken by surprise.

"Don't worry Bruthuh, that's normal." Wakka said, slapping him hard on the back.

"It's the mushroom rock tower of Djose. It opens up like this, when a summoner addresses the Fayth." Lulu explained to him.

"So then someone else is already inside!" Yuna said.

"Probbaly Dona…" Wakka said disdainfully.

"Let's go find out!" Yuna said, and then they all hurried inside. As they stepped inside the lightning-riddled temple, they saw the doors to the cloister of trials opening, and out stepped a handsome young man in robes, along with another young man in fighter's garb, and a little boy as well. They descended from the steps to greet the newcomers.

"Pardon me, may I ask your name?" The young summoner inquired.

"I am summoner Yuna, from the Isle of Besaid." Yuna said with an air of propriety, and she bowed cordially before them.

"Ahh, I thought so. You look like him, you know, your father Braska." He said.

"Did you… know him?" Yuna asked curiously. This man looked too young to have been a contemporary of her father.

"I never met him, no, but I always did look up to him as a boy, and I always treasured his story." The summoner said. Then he remembered his manners and bowed to her, introducing himself. "Please forgive me, my name is Isaaru."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Yuna said. The young boy with them spoke up then.

"I'm Pacce! Pleased to meet you!" He said.

"And I'm Maroda, I'm serving as my big brother's guardian." The other young man added.

"I'm glad to meet you all!" Yuna said warmly.

"You know, I always wanted to be like your father; fighting Sin as a High Summoner. From the look of you, I think you've got his spirit. I think you'll defeat Sin someday…" Isaaru said to Yuna. She stuttered then.

"Well, I've only just become a summoner, but… I'll do everything I can." She said. Isaaru smiled then.

"Well, I didn't say I would let you take the lead this time around. I think I'll bring this calm, if I may. Perhaps we should race then, to see who can defeat Sin first?" Isaaru said affably, offering a challenge.

"Very well. I accept your challenge…" Yuna replied. Just then, Isaaru heard his brothers calling for him. They had walked toward the door.

"I beg leave of you, Lady Yuna. I'm sure we will meet again." He said to her. Yuna stepped aside and let him walk through.

"Good luck, until then!" Yuna said, waving farewell to him. She and her guardians then ascended to steps and entered the cloister of trials. It took them some time to navigate their way through the cloister, solving its puzzles and activating its hidden passages. When they finally reached the entrance to the chamber of the Fayth, Yuna knelt before the doorway until it opened, and then she stepped inside. Her guardians waited outside. Lulu stood nearby Auron, and Tidus walked over to speak with them.

"How long do you think it should take this time?" He asked.

"As long as she needs." Auron said plainly.

"You should keep quiet, and not cause a stir. Yuna needs a calm environment to meditate in, so she can focus." Lulu urged him. Tidus nodded, and knelt down on the floor, sitting with his back against the wall. After a half hour, they heard footsteps approaching; it was Dona and Barthello.

"So is she done yet? What's taking so long?" Dona demanded impatiently.

"Keep quiet, and she'll be done soon enough." Lulu retorted irritably. Barthello lumbered mightily over in front of Auron then, looking him up and down. This giant warrior stood a foot taller than the average man in Spira, and his shoulders were broad and bulging with muscles; his massive arms rippled like torrents of raw physical power. Kimahri stepped closer then, unsure of what to expect.

"You there… I recognize you..." Barthello said with his deep, rumbling voice.

"Do you know this riff-raff?" Dona asked him arrogantly.

"Are you… Auron?" Barthello continued.

"What if I am?" Auron replied shortly.

"It is you, isn't it! Auron… no, Sir Auron… may I shake your hand?" Barthello asked him eagerly. "You know, you're the reason why I became a guardian! I heard rumors about you when I was a boy in my island village… they said you were a legendary hero, and a master swordsman… your story inspired me to leave home and help in the next battle against Sin! Meeting you now is truly, a great honor!" Barthello flattered him, but he seemed fully genuine. Auron chuckled then, and extended his hand graciously. Barthello clasped it and shook it eagerly, then he bowed and stepped back. Lulu stepped up face-to-face in front of Dona then, and the dark sorceress' red-amber eyes flamed up fiercely.

"You think you can show such disrespect to Lord Braska's guardian? How dare you; walking the path of a summoner, and showing so little appreciation for others. You're an embarrassment." Lulu chided her harshly.

"I had no idea… but now that I do, I can't believe Yuna is so privileged." Dona said, only increasing her arrogant tone. Just then, the door to the chamber of the Fayth opened, and Yuna stumbled out. Kimahri quickly rushed to catch her, and hold her up.

"You've gotten everything handed to you, I see. A pack of guardians, attending to the Lord Braska's daughter, and even the service of Sir Auron. Would it kill you to stand on your own two feet at least?" Dona said coldly.

"This is isn't about me. It's about bringing the Calm. Would you really hold it against me, if I defeat Sin, just because my father was famous? Do you think it was easy to lose him?" Yuna retorted indignantly.

"You think your guardians can help you through everything; well they can't. You better learn to rely on yourself, before you try facing off against Sin. There's no glory for the defeated, if you fail." Dona reminded her sharply.

"We'll help her with what we can, and she'll do the rest. We don't need you wasting our time with petty bickering. You've had your say, now move on." Auron said roughly. Dona turned to glance over her shoulder, but she merely scoffed and then she strode into the chamber of the Fayth. Barthello faced Auron again.

"Sir Auron, please don't be offended… Dona is just that way. She's tough, but not very considerate of others. She can be very critical." Barthello said apologetically. Auron grunted indifferently.

"You're the one who has to travel with her. Personally, I think a summoner should be glad to have your services, but… we all have to do our duty, after all." Auron replied. Barthello nodded firmly in agreement, and pounded his fists together, and bowed low before Auron.

Yuna and her guardians left Djose temple then, and she went to work healing the wounded Crusaders who limped in from the road. Auron watched as she worked. She seemed tireless in her efforts to send off all the dead, and heal any who could be saved. She reminded him of Braska then, in her innocent determination to work for the good of the people. Paine went with her as well, helping her and carrying potions and bandages for her. Lulu strode slowly over to join him then, in the fading dusk light.

"She has a big heart, and strong will. I can't believe that woman would have the nerve to say such things about her." Lulu said.

"It's all just talk. I think it shows envy, and lack of confidence. Jealousy even. Yevon will take in anyone these days, it seems. But that's no concern of ours. We just have to do our duty and help her on the way." Auron replied.

"You never had to deal with this before, did you? I'm sorry that she disrespected you like that. We shouldn't have let her get away with it, honestly." Lulu said with regret. Auron shook his head.

"I've been through everything. Words are nothing. It's what a man can do with his sword, and the light in his soul, that counts. It's how far he can keep going when everything is against him; that's the measure of his worth. I've heard taunts before, and it never held me back." He said sternly. Lulu gazed aside then.

"I agree. You've already proven yourself. Didn't you receive any reward? You disappeared after the pilgrimage, even though you were famous across Spira. Didn't you want to enjoy your success?" She asked him.

"I lost Braska and Jecht. It never felt like that much of a success. I grew out of the need for recognition and fame. Now I live for duty, and there's not much room for anything else." Auron said solemnly. Lulu nodded quietly, and with some discouragement.

"Isn't there room for friendship and compassion? For someone else to share happiness with you?" She asked. Auron glanced to her with his one good eye, and leaned against the wall. After a moment he spoke.

"I suppose there could be. I know I seem harsh and insensitive. Maybe that's the way I've become… but I do sometimes wish that I was young again, and able to open my heart to others. This world hardened me, though. Now I don't know if I can." Auron admitted.

"You're not that old. You should try it. You said it yourself… you regret not sharing joy with your friends on the last pilgrimage. I regret that too, from my pilgrimages. We should correct it this time around." Lulu suggested softly. Auron looked upon her then, and he nodded in agreement.

"I think so too. I'm glad you've shown me that." He said. They stood together in the golden dusklight against the stone tower, and watched Yuna and Paine until nightfall, when they all retired to sleep at last.

The next morning, Tidus went into the temple to wake Yuna. She came outside in a frantic rush, hurrying to apologize to everyone waiting outside.

"Sir Auron, please forgive me! I didn't realize how late it was!" She exclaimed.

"Just relax Yuna… and for goodness sake, fix your hair!" Lulu said to her with a smile.

"Hey, what's going on? Everyone is picking on me today!" Yuna cried out. All of her guardians gathered around her then, laughing uproariously. Auron chuckled in amusement then.

"Now you too, Sir Auron?" She said.

"Well, as soon as Lady Yuna finishes tending to her hair, we'll move on." He said with a grin. Lulu took out an ebony and jade comb then, and began running it gently through Yuna's disheveled locks. As she did so, Paine strode up to the company then, looking at them with bewilderment.

"Are you about to leave, Lady Yuna?" She asked.

"Oh! I almost forgot… Sir Auron, can I ask you something?" She called to the old guardian.

"What is it now, Yuna?" He asked her, still teasingly.

"Paine has asked to join us, as my guardian. Is that alright?" Yuna asked him. Auron glanced at Paine then. She was still wearing her military trousers, but she had put on a tank-top shirt and a black leather jacket. She carried a long sword slung over her back. Auron merely shrugged.

"If you want her to come along, it's fine with me. I expect her to stick with it to the end, if she joins." Auron said. Paine nodded and raised her hand over her chest.

"I swear it, Sir Auron. I won't let you down!" Paine assured him.

"Fair enough then. Let's get going." Auron said, and he began striding down the trail to the fork, and the road leading north to the Moonflow. All of the company marched along behind him, chatting intermittently as they went.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 : Incident at Guadosalam**

The band continued on their journey from the forked road in Djose, northward to the Moonflow's southern shore.

It was a placid region in Spira's dreamy landscape, with gently flowing waters that sparkled clearly and shimmered from the light of many pyreflies wafting slowly alongside the shore. Auron led the party on the road through the grassy fields and hills until they reached the sparse woods and shoreline pavilions near the boarding elevator, whereupon they would be lifted to ride in the coach atop the shoopuf's back. When they approached, the shoopuf was not yet there on the landing.

"So how are we gonna get across the river? I don't see any boats…" Tidus said curiously.

"Nah Bruthuh, most people don't take boats over the Moonflow… that'd mean a lotta paddling aye? Hard on the shoulders. Why take a boat, when you can ride a Shoopuf?" Wakka replied to him with a grin.

"Uh… what? What is a shoopuf?" Tidus asked, bewildered.

"You'll see. Just don't panic. It's big!" Wakka warned him. Tidus merely tilted his head in puzzlement. Then he heard Auron chuckling behind him.

"What's the joke now, old man?" Tidus asked him.

"We came this way on my pilgrimage too… Braska, Jecht and I. Of course, Jecht didn't respond very well to seeing a shoopuf for the first time. I hope you can do better, and behave yourself." Auron said with a faint smile.

"Oh really? Did my old man embarrass himself?" Tidus asked.

"He was drunk as a stone… and thought it was a fiend. He drew his sword and cut the shoopuf's leg… we had to apologize very convincingly of course, and bribe the owner. The same shoopuf still works here; you'll be able to see the scar on its hind leg." Auron told him.

"Oh man, Jecht really did mess up. I'm not going to do anything that crazy." Auron said confidently.

"Let's hope not." Auron said plainly, and then he walked onward toward the pavilion and cantina by the shore. A moment later, a large blue beast could be seen lumbering through the waters, coming toward the shore. It was a huge elephantine creature, with a long thin tail with a fin on it, and flat feet with rounded nails, and a long trunk curled up into a spiral. Its small, beady dark eyes were mild and passive. A large cab with a canopy was strapped onto the creature's back, and a driver was guiding it onward to the shore.

"Hey, that's a shoopuf?" Tidus asked in excitement.

"Yes, that's right!" Yuna said to him then.

Tidus walked slowly up to the giant animal once it had stopped and stood beside the elevator. Auron came to join him then, pointing at the right hind leg of the shoopuf. There was a long, weathered line carved in the thick hide of the beast.

"You can still see it here." Auron said.

"Whoa! The old man did some damage… I'm surprised the shoopuf wasn't crippled." Tidus said, feeling some regret on the part of his father.

"It looks worse than it actually was. It barely drew blood; shoopuf hides are thick." Auron assured him.

"This shoopuf has been working here a long time. I remember riding it on both of my previous pilgrimages." Lulu chimed in.

"Shall we board now?" Auron asked her and Yuna. They both nodded, and two-by-two they stepped into the elevator and were lifted up to the coach on the shoopuf's back. Once aboard, they sat down and held onto the sides of the coach as the beast lumbered across the shore and finally began to swim slowly across the river. The Moonflow river was massively wide, almost two miles from shore to shore.

"This will take a while. Might as well relax." Auron said to Tidus. He stepped to the back of the coach then and sat down on a cushioned bench, and reclined against the short back wall of the coach. Lulu sat down beside him. Yuna and Paine sat across from him, while Tidus and Wakka sat to the left side and Kimahri sat to the right.

"You should take a look." Auron said to Tidus, and he nodded toward the side of the coach.

"Huh?" Tidus said curiously, and he stood up and walked over to the side, and gazed down into the waters. He was soon joined by Yuna and Paine, who peered down together and beheld an ancient city submerged under the river.

"Whoa! There's a whole city down there!" Tidus exclaimed.

"It's an ancient machina city, from before Sin and the Great War. It's more than one thousand years old." Lulu said to him.

"They built the city on top of bridges across the river." Wakka added.

"But the weight of the city caused the bridges to collapse, and it all sank to the bottom of the river." Lulu continued.

"It's a good lesson for us, ya?" Wakka said.

"A lesson?" Tidus asked.

"Why build a city over the river, ya?" Wakka asked.

"Well… it must have been convenient to have all of the water right there." Tidus surmised.

"Nah, that's not why they did it. They wanted to defy the laws of nature!" Wakka retorted firmly.

"Really? I don't think that's what it was all about, Wakka." Tidus said skeptically.

"Yevon has taught us: when humans have power, they seek to use it. If you don't keep them in check, they go too far." Wakka said.

"Ok… but you guys still use machina, right?" Tidus argued.

"Only certain kinds, permitted by Yevon." Wakka said.

"Yevon decides which forms of machina we may use, and which we may not." Lulu added.

"Alright, so which machina are we not supposed to use then?" Tidus asked impatiently.

"You remember Operation Mi'ihen? That kind!" Wakka said.

"Machina should not be used as weapons, to kill. One thousand years ago, there was a great war and humans used machina against each other." Lulu said.

"They kept building more and more powerful machina. People were afraid the world might end, but they kept on going, ya!" Wakka said.

"They kept fighting, until suddenly Sin appeared, and destroyed all the machina and devastated the cities. And Sin remained after the war, as our punishment." Yuna said.

"That's rough… do all of you believe that? I mean surely it's not the machina that are bad, right?" Tidus asked.

"Only as bad as their users." Lulu said. Paine spoke up, for the first time that day.

"Yevon focuses on machina, but the real problem is in humans themselves. I've seen it for myself; the worst urges in people, and what happens when they come to the surface. Machina is just a tool, and it carries out the intentions of the humans using it. It doesn't feel or judge, or make any of its own decisions… it just enables the worst tendencies of humanity… or perhaps the best. It all depends on the wisdom of the people." She said softly, and insightfully.

"Ya, which is why we shouldn't use it. Humanity has to atone. People are selfish, and ignorant. They don't know what they do." Wakka interjected.

"What do you think, Sir Auron?" Lulu asked, turning her gaze upon him.

"People have never known what they're doing; life is a mystery. We only do what occurs to us in the moment, and only learn better after the truth is revealed, usually by our faults and after much suffering. But there's no reason to cling to the past and the suffering of other people. Just because misery and punishment was their fate, does not mean that we're obligated to remain in suffering. Each person can and must find their own way out; once they realize that, no guilt lies upon them for the past. Only those who dare will be free." Auron said. Everyone was quiet then, and they looked away, thinking on what he had said, but none of them quite understood it yet. They had been too long indoctrinated with the narrative of Sin's punishment and their eternal guilt. The notion that the world could change did not occur to them.

"I think you're right, Sir Auron." Yuna said, and she was about to continue when suddenly the waters began to splash around them, and the shoopuf began to moan and swim in a panicked fright.

"What's happening?" Wakka cried out. Everyone in the coach stood up and searched around them for signs of trouble.

"Everyone, sit down!" Auron shouted. He was too late; suddenly an Al-Bhed acrobat leapt out of the water and came running up the shoopuf's tail. He grabbed Yuna and pulled her out of the coach, and plunged down into the water with her in his arms. A whole crew of Al-Bhed came up from the water then and began to storm the coach. A submersible machina appeared then, and Yuna was placed into a forcefield atop it. Its robotic tentacles whirled violently around her. Then suddenly the machine delved under water.

"The Al-Bhed!" Wakka shouted, and he jumped into the water. Tidus immediately went with him, and Paine shed her leather jacket in the coach and drew her sword, and then she made a graceful dive into the water with them. Auron drew his sword and Lulu summoned her magic, while Kimahri brandished his spear to defend the coach and the shoopuf. The Al-Bhed put up a fight for a moment, but swiftly retreated. It was clear that they were mostly interested in covering the escape of their kidnappers. Once they had gone, Auron and Lulu stood in the coach, looking down into the clear waters to see Tidus and the others engaged in a desperate battle to free Yuna.

"What should we do?" Lulu asked him frantically. Auron gazed into the waters, concentrating.

"Can you use your magic?" He asked her.

"I could, but the only effective spell would be lightning magic. I'm not sure I could focus it onto a target under water, so far away. It could easily harm our own friends." Lulu said.

"Could you focus it onto a spear?" Auron said, looking at Kimahri. The Ronso gave him a stern look.

"I might be able to call down a lightning bolt, but he would have to throw it first, or he'll be the one who gets electrocuted." Lulu said.

"What do you say, Ronso brave?" Auron asked him. Kimahri shrugged his mighty shoulders and stepped out onto the shoopuf's back, holding his spear at the ready.

"Make the magic now." The Ronso said gruffly. Lulu stepped to the edge of the coach and raised her hands up, looking into the sky. Dark violet magic flowed through her aura then, and her eyes and fingertips began to surge with arcing electricity. A gray cloud began to materialize then in the sky above, and it pulsed with flashing inner lightning, and low rumbling thunder. After a long moment, Lulu spoke in a voice filled with magical resonance.

"Now! Throw the spear!" She said. Kimahri roared and hurled his spear. It flew in a wide arc over the water, poised to dive toward his enemy. Suddenly a bolt of lightning struck it and the spearhead glimmered bright as it flew down into the water. The lightning-charged spear glided in the water and struck the metal frame of the machina, discharging the electrical surge into its circuits and disabling it instantly. The forcefield holding Yuna captive was immediately dispersed then. Tidus and Paine swam quickly to recover Yuna and lift her up to the surface. Once they emerged from the water, they all gasped in a breath of fresh air, and swam back to the shoopuf, climbing up its tail and into the coach. Lulu immediately embraced Yuna and started drying her off with some spare blankets from a satchel on the shoopuf's back.

"Are you alright?" Lulu asked her with concern.

"Yes, I'm fine, thank you." Yuna replied.

"Is everyone alright?" Auron asked.

"I'm good." Paine said.

"I'll be alright." Tidus added.

"I could be better. Damn those Al-Bhed! What do they want with Yuna? They mad about the tournament or somethin'? Maybe they just hate Yevon… I'm really sick of dealing with Al-Bhed and all their damn blasphemy!" Wakka said angrilly.

"Relax. Nothing can be accomplished by anger. It clouds your thoughts." Auron said to him.

"Yeah, but damn it, I've had it with those heathens! They got no right messin' with us on pilgrimage. I hate those Al-Bhed bastards! We should lead a Crusade against them for a change!" Wakka continued to fume. Auron glared at him impatiently then.

"Do you think this attitude is becoming of a guardian?" Auron asked him in a stern voice. Wakka was taken aback by this, and he sat down then and was quiet. Tidus sat looking at Yuna and Lulu. They both remained uncomfortably silent.

"You know Wakka, it's not much use to get mad at the Al-Bhed now. I mean, our mission is to protect Yuna, from anyone and everyone. That's all I really need to know. The Al-Bhed are just one more obstacle to deal with, no different from fiends or bandits, or anything else." Tidus reasoned with him. Wakka nodded slowly.

"Aye, you're right bruthuh. I'm no use to anyone when I'm all stressed out. I'll remember that." Wakka said gratefully. Yuna smiled at Tidus then, and she whispered the words "thank you" to him.

"Let's move on now! Everyone is back on board." Auron said to the Hypello guiding the shoopuf. With that, they continued to the other shore of the Moonflow. When they arrived Yuna was immediately beset by throngs of well-wishers and eager fans, or those who remembered her father's pilgrimage and exploits. Tidus tried to reach her, but he could not break through the crowd.

Auron stood patiently by the wayside on the path, watching as the crowd fawned over Yuna. Lulu approached him then, and stood beside him.

"If this keeps happening everywhere we go, we'll never finish the pilgrimage!" She said with a faint grin, gazing upon him warmly. Auron chuckled.

"Indeed. But the people can't help it; they want hope, and they want to believe. Of course they feel the need to show gratitude for Braska, too. Yuna lost him after all, on their behalf. To think that she would sacrifice herself as well, is something to be truly thankful for." Auron said.

"She is very selfless. She thinks of others a little too much perhaps…" Lulu surmised.

"Yes… but no one will discourage selflessness on the part of summoners. It's expected, and no amount of self-sacrifice is too much for them. In a way Yevon demands it of them, so the people won't refuse it." Auron said, with a bit of a sour tone. Lulu looked upon him again, in partially in puzzlement, but also with sympathy.

"It is horrible, I know, but it's necessary, isn't it? Sin makes it necessary, right?" Lulu asked, as if hoping to convince herself.

"That's what they tell us. So that's what we have to work with." Auron said, and then he turned and walked along down the path, blazing a trail for them. Soon he heard footsteps rushing behind him, and Tidus came rushing up the path behind him.

"Why did you take off, Auron?" He asked.

"I'm going to scout ahead, and make sure there's no trouble. You're younger than me, and quicker. Why don't you go further ahead yourself?" Auron suggested. Tidus nodded, and went trudging quickly along. He came to a part of the path that ran along the river, and through some sparse woodlands. Soon he saw something laying in the path. As he approached he saw that it appeared to be a human. Tidus went jogging up to the unconscious person and knelt down to inspect. It was a young girl in a diving suit.

"Hey! Are you alright?" Tidus asked hastily.

"Not really." Came the soft reply, of a young girl's voice.

She stood up then, and Tidus stepped back as she began to strip off her diving gear, and revealed the slender, lithe figure of a young girl dressed in a sleeveless shirt, shorts and tall boots. Tidus recognized her as soon as she removed her mask and goggles.

"Hey! You're Rikku!" He said.

"That's right. I'm glad you remembered me." She said.

"But wait… how did you get here? Where did you come from?" He asked.

"I was in the river. You beat me up, remember? That really hurt, you know! And the lightning spear shut down all of my systems, so I had to abandon the machina." She said.

"Wait, that was you inside the machine? You kidnapped Yuna? But why? I heard that she's your cousin, isn't she?" He asked a flurry of questions. Rikku nodded quickly.

"Yes, she is. It's a long story actually, but I didn't mean her any harm… can you take my word on it? And please don't tell anyone else!" She insisted.

"Well, I guess so, but…" Tidus began, before he was interrupted by Auron, who approached on the road with the rest of the party behind him.

"What's going on over there?" Auron asked. Tidus turned to face him then.

"I just found someone that I've met before. We're catching up. Her name is Rikku." Tidus said. Immediately Yuna and Lulu stepped to the forefront then.

"It's you, Rikku?" Yuna asked in bewilderment.

"This a friend of yours, Bruthuh?" Wakka asked, swaggering to the front.

"Yeah, she rescued me before I ended up in Besaid. I was washed overboard by Sin shortly after we met." Tidus said.

"Wow, so you owe her your life then. What luck meeting her here. Praise be to Yevon." Wakka said.

"Wakka…" Lulu said impatiently.

"Huh? What's up?" Wakka asked as he turned back to face her.

"We have a few things to discuss for a moment, ladies only…" Lulu said. Wakka scratched his head and shrugged, and walked away down the path. He stood with Tidus and Auron, waiting while the girls held their discussion a dozen paces away. Rikku spoke with Yuna, while Paine and Lulu stood by. Finally they all nodded in agreement with each other and approached to speak with Auron.

"Sir Auron, I would like Rikku to be my guardian." Yuna said solemnly. Auron stepped up to Rikku then, examining her. Rikku immediately gazed at the ground.

"Show me your face." Auron said.

"Huh?" Rikku replied, sheepishly.

"Look at me." He said.

"Oh, okay…" Rikku said, turning her face up to his one-eyed gaze. Her eyes were tightly shut and her face was tense with anxiety.

"Open your eyes…" Auron prompted her gently. Rikku opened one eye, revealing her green spiralled iris. "As I thought." Auron said.

"So… no good then?" Rikku asked nervously.

"Only if you're certain about this. You realize what's at stake, and what you're signing on for, right?" He asked.

"Absolutely!" Rikku said eagerly, and then she turned to face the others. "So, anyway… can I?"

"If Yuna wishes it." Auron said, and he glanced over to the young lady summoner.

"Yes, I do." Yuna replied.

"So be it. I'll scout ahead. Don't linger here." Auron said dismissively, and he turned and strode away.

"You sure, Yuna?" Wakka asked.

"Yes I am." Yuna assured him.

"You know, Rikku is a good girl. She helped me out a lot. I can tell she's trustworthy." Tidus chimed in.

"Well, I'm for it then. The more the merrier, like they say!" Wakka agreed.

"Right-o! Then I'll just have to be the merriest!" Rikku said gleefully. She walked with Yuna and Paine then, unable to help skipping a few steps as she went along beside them.

The company went on down the road through the forest, and to the entrance plaza of Guadosalam. The rest of the company strode across the plaza and down into the entrance of the city, but Auron stood back and waited for Tidus to walk by.

"Keep an eye on Yuna while we're here." Auron said in a low voice. Tidus stopped and turned to face him.

"You sound like you're worried. What's up?" Tidus asked.

"The Guado have some strange quirks, and erratic behavior. Don't trust them." Auron said.

"But one of them is a Maester… they've been accepted by Yevon, right?" Tidus asked.

"For political and… economic reasons. But the Guado have never quite converted to Yevon's teachings, and they likely never will. It's not natural to them." Auron surmised.

"Ok. So what do you think will happen?" Tidus asked.

"I don't know, just be on your guard." Auron said, and then he strode on down the path into the subterranean city.

They arrived in a majestic lantern-lit cavern city. Houses and shops were carved into the sides of the cave, and a large mansion stood at the back of the city. As they entered the city, they were greeted by a tall old Guado man with dark gray hair and beard. He walked toward Yuna, extending his long-fingered hands. He spoke with an airy, long-winded voice.

"We have been expecting you, Lady Yuna! Welcome to Guadosalam. This way, my lady, this way…" He said, reaching for her. Immediately, Paine and Kimahri pulled Yuna by her shoulders, back behind them as they stepped forward, facing the stranger with stern glares.

"Whoa! What are you doing?" Wakka exclaimed.

"Who are you?" Paine demanded fiercely. The Guado took a step back then, raising his hands harmlessly and introducing himself.

"Oh, please forgive me; I am called Trommel. I have been sent by Maester Seymour, to escort Lady Yuna to Guado Manor. Lord Seymour has very important business with Lady Yuna, and I did not wish to keep him waiting. Pardon my over-eagerness." he said.

"Important business? I wonder what it could be…" Yuna said curiously.

"Please, come inside the manor. All will be explained in due time." Trommel said, beckoning toward the manor front doors with his long, inhuman hand. "Of course, your friends are also welcome."

"I should think so." Paine said, with a fiery tone. Trommel merely nodded and bowed respectfully to her, and then he turned and led them onward to the manor. They stepped through the double doors and saw a circular foyer, with a spiral staircase on either side of it descending from the second floor. They all stepped onto the tiled floor and then Trommel bade them to wait while he went into the next room. Tidus walked up to Auron then, who stood alert on the side of the room.

"Stay close to Yuna." Auron urged him. Tidus nodded and strode over to join the girl summoner then.

"I wonder what he wants from me…" She said as Tidus approached. Just then, Trommel opened the doors to the next chamber and strode out, beckoning for them to follow him inside.

"This way please!" He said. They followed him into a long dining hall, wherein there were several tables sprawling with food, fruits and desserts and all manner of refreshments.

"Please wait here, and I will go to inform Lord Seymour." he said to them, and then he left the room. Everyone in the room was visibly uneasy, except for Rikku, who immediately set to eating the sweets and fruit from the nearest table, and gulping down rich nectar. Tidus walked over to the table and watched her devouring treats.

"You look like I did, the first time we talked." Tidus said to her in amusement.

"You were starving then too; all the fighting and walking really took it out of me!" Rikku said in a muffled voice while she chewed, unwilling to stop eating long enough to speak or even to breath. Suddenly she stopped however and began to look uneasy, and she had trouble breathing. Tidus immediately grabbed a bottle and uncorked it, and raised it to her lips. Rikku drank from it eagerly, and then gasped in relief.

"Thanks! I needed that…" She said.

"You should slow down… hey, what is this stuff? Is it any good?" he asked, as he smelt the vapors from the neck of the bottle.

"It's sweet berry wine!" Rikku said gleefully.

"Alcohol! Aren't you a little too young for that?" He said in dismay.

"Well it was your fault! You gave it to me and I needed a drink!" She retorted.

"Sheesh!" Tidus said, and he set the bottle back on the table.

"You're the agent provocateur!" Rikku said playfully, pointing her finger at his nose, and she skipped away to the next table to grab rolls and jam from it. Paine was visibly irritated by this show as she stood next to Yuna and Kimahri. When Rikku passed her she scoffed.

"How old are you?" Paine asked impatiently.

"I'm fifteen, just turned a few weeks ago. Why do you ask?" Rikku replied.

"You act like it." Paine said dourly. Rikku made a face at her and shrugged her shoulders, placing her hands on her hips.

"So how old does that make you then, tough girl?" Rikku asked haughtily.

"Sixteen." Paine answered shortly. Rikku dropped her recalcitrance then and gazed wide-eyed at Paine.

"Wow… really? I mean you look young, but you seemed more mature. I would have guessed you'd be in your twenties. You're about my size… I wonder if we'd be able to fit into the same outfits…" Rikku pondered aloud.

"What?!" Paine said in bewilderment.

"You know, so you can play dress up with me; that's what fifteen year-old girls do, right? Oh but you must be too old for that kid stuff, right!" Rikku said with a mischievous giggle. Tidus beheld this scene awestruck, and then he looked back at the bottle sitting on the table and lifted it up, to see how much of it was left. The neck had been totally drained.

"Everyone please keep quiet!" Yuna urged them frantically.

"Hey, calm down Yuna. Everything will be fine." Tidus said, attempting to comfort her. The Ronso brave standing beside her spoke up then.

"Kimahri not trust Maester Seymour." He said gruffly. Yuna cried out in shock then, and shushed him loudly. Tidus strode over to Auron then, who was standing in silence against the wall by the door they had entered from.

"Stay on your guard." Auron said as soon as Tidus drew near.

"What's the problem exactly? This guy is just a priest, right?" Tidus asked.

"Power corrupts… and Seymour has a lot of power. He could have prevented the Operation at Mi'ihen, but he chose not to. He's taken an interest in Yuna when he should know better than to get involved with a summoner on pilgrimage. It doesn't add up to anything good in my estimation." Auron explained grimly.

"So what are you saying, old man? Is it Seymour, or do you have something against Yevon?" Tidus asked. Auron chuckled.

"If only you knew." He said softly. At that point, the doors on the other end of the chamber opened, and Seymour came striding into the dining hall to meet them. He bowed before them and spoke his greeting.

"Welcome! I am pleased to have you all join me in Guado Manor." He said.

"You wanted to see me?" Yuna said to him.

"Please, make yourselves at home! There's no rush…" Seymour said invitingly.

"Please keep this short! Yuna _must_ rush." Auron said insistently.

"Pardon me. It has been a long time since I had guests. Lady Yuna, this way if you will." He said, feigning a bruised expression at Auron's words. He beckoned for Yuna to follow him. Yuna and her guardians walked forward into the next chamber then, and it was dark. As they stepped across the floor, suddenly the whole chamber was lit up by a vibrant projection from a sphere, emanating from a crystalline pedestal at the opposite end of the hall. They were immediately surrounded by a bright galactic ocean of stars, and flowing pyreflies that surged toward the nexus of the galaxy. As the projection soared along they were taken to the scene of a massive ancient city, from over one thousand years ago. Its majestic lights and paved streets and skyscrapers towered around them. Soon they were placed on a street in the middle of the city. Tidus recognized it immediately, and could not help but speak up.

"Zanarkand?" He exclaimed.

"Yes… Zanarkand as it looked over one thousand years ago." Seymour replied. "This is the wondrous machina city of Zanarkand. _She_ once lived in this ancient metropolis." Seymour continued as they surged across the city to a mighty palace in its center.

Yuna turned and looked upon him with curiosity.

"She who?" Yuna asked. Seymour grinned, but did not answer. Soon they found themselves inside the palace, and within its plush master bedroom. They saw a slender white-haired woman sitting on the bed, waiting silently. Yuna recognized her, and spoke. "Lady Yunalesca!"

"She was the first person to defeat Sin, and save the world from its ravages. And you have inherited her name." Seymour said. Yuna nodded.

"It was my father who chose to give me this name. Perhaps it was in her honor…" Yuna surmised.

"Lord Braska was entrusting you with a great task: he wanted you to face Sin as Lady Yunalesca did, and to defeat it, bringing peace to the people of Spira. However, Lady Yunalesca did not defeat Sin alone. She was aided by an incredibly bond of love, an unbreakable bond, of the kind that binds two hearts together for eternity." Seymour said. After he had spoken, a warrior in shining golden armor came striding into the chamber, preceded by the clank of his armor with each step. He walked past Yuna, walking through her, and the projection rippled faintly for that instant until he had passed her and reached Yunalesca by the bedside, where they embraced each other.

Soon the projection dispersed, and they were standing in the dining chamber again, spread out across it. Yuna was standing next to Seymour then, and he turned to her with a warm gaze. He spoke softly as he towered over her then, and no one else could hear what was said between them.

"Lady Yuna, may I ask you something very important? Please don't be alarmed." He said. Yuna gazed up at him in bewilderment.

"Of course, go ahead." She said, as if obligated to say so, but her stomach immediately tightened up. Seymour leaned down close to her ear and spoke softly.

"I think that you and I have an extraordinary potential together. I think we should share this with the people of Spira. I think you are very special of course, and I would be honored if you would take my hand in marriage, as my wife before the eyes of the world, and together we will finish the pilgrimage and defeat Sin." He said to her. Yuna gasped for breath, wide-eyed and trembling, and she put her hand over her mouth. She settled down as Seymour bowed his head to her, and she respectfully bowed her head to him as well. Then she abruptly rushed to one of the tables and poured a glass of water, and struggled to drink it. She gasped for breath after she had finished it, then she quickly ran into the middle of the hall and her guardians rushed to meet her, with inquisitive and anxious faces.

"Wow! Your face is beet-red!" Rikku remarked in surprise.

"Are you alright, Yuna? What did he say?" Paine asked her. Yuna trembled and muttered nervously. She tried several times to speak before she could get it out.

"He asked me to marry him…" She said finally.

"What?!" Lulu said, exasperated. Auron stepped forward then, facing Seymour.

"You of all people know that this is unorthodox. Yuna has a mission, and we have to see that she finishes it." Auron said tersely.

"Of course. Yuna… no, all summoners, are duty-bound to bring peace to Spira at all costs. But of course there is more to this task than simply defeating Sin. We should all strive to make the people happy and ease the tensions between them, and such a marriage would surely accomplish that." Seymour reasoned.

"A spectacle, nothing more. What good does it do, if Sin is not defeated? And once the pilgrimage is complete, what difference would it make?" Auron asked indignantly.

"Surely you can see the alleviation of political tensions between our two peoples, should such a union be made. This would bring happiness to many, and heal old wounds." Seymour suggested.

"Did it work the last time? Or is this just one more diversion? Spira is not a playhouse for the scripting of people's lives." Auron said firmly.

"And yet we must all play our parts accordingly, for fate and for posterity." Seymour retorted. Auron grimaced, but was silent. Seymour turned to Yuna then and spoke. "There's no need to answer right away. Think it over for awhile if you wish." Yuna merely sputtered nervously.

"We will do so then. But right now we must leave." Auron answered for her, and he motioned for all of them to exit the hall. Before they could go Seymour spoke to Yuna again.

"Lady Yuna, I will eagerly await your reply, and pray that it is favorable." Seymour said. Then he spoke to Auron's back. "Why are you still here, Sir?" He asked. Auron froze in place then, but said nothing and did not turn back. "Forgive me… we Guado have a certain sensitivity to the essence of the Farplane." He said, and then he turned and went back into the other chamber. Auron marched out quickly then, and the company followed suit after him. They huddled around Yuna on the courtyard in front of the manor, while she sat down on a bench under the overpass above them. Lulu was first to speak.

"Yuna, daughter of High Summoner Braska, who defeated Sin… Seymour, son of Maester Jyscal who converted the Guado and wed a human bride. It would be a union of two cherished personalities, in the name of Yevon, overcoming the boundaries of race and culture. It would give people hope for a united and peaceful Spira… something positive to talk about for a change, perhaps." Lulu suggested. Auron scoffed.

"It would be a scandal, if anything. Old grievances die hard, and the Guado have been the interlopers in Human affairs for centuries. Many would be outraged by it, it could have the opposite result in diplomatic affairs." He forewarned.

"He sure picked a fine time to spring this on us…" Wakka said anxiously.

"Come on! Let's just get on with the pilgrimage. Romance can wait! I mean really, marriage?" Tidus urged them impatiently. Rikku chimed in then.

"Oooh… jealous?" She asked, waving an arm at him playfully.

"What? No way!" Tidus said in denial. "We gotta defeat Sin! Everything else can wait."

"Maybe it is a fine time… if it would make people happy, shouldn't I do it?" Yuna reasoned aloud.

"Are you serious?" Tidus asked in shock. Paine pushed past him then and spoke to Yuna.

"Is it not enough that you've taken up the summoner's path? You don't owe your whole life to strangers, Yuna. What you have left of it to yourself, you should spend as you see fit." Paine argued with her.

"But I do owe everyone, don't I? I'm part of this world, I was born and raised in it, and everyone took care of me after father died. This life isn't about me. It's about what I can do for Spira. Spira gave me this gift and I have to appreciate it." She replied.

"You're only seventeen Yuna. How much of a life have you even had yet?" Paine asked, seeming combative at first, but the sympathy was clear in her voice and in her eyes.

"I suppose I don't know yet… I won't answer until I'm sure of the right thing to do. But I want to help relieve the people in any way that I can." Yuna said.

"You could always just quit your pilgrimage and get married instead, right?" Rikku said as she huddled close to her cousin. Yuna grinned at her, but shook her head.

"No… I must go on. I'm sure that Maester Seymour will understand." Yuna said.

"Do you have to?" Rikku asked again.

"Yes. I am a summoner. I'm not turning back. I must fight and defeat Sin." Yuna said firmly, filled with determination.

"Just like Braska before you, right?" Auron said. Yuna nodded.

"Yes. I'm going to the Farplane, to see my father and think things over."

"Go ahead Yuna. We'll be with you." Lulu assured her. Yuna stood up slowly then, and went on her way.

The company strode together through the streets of Guadosalam, until they came to a large square doorway with a colorful sign painted above it. It was written in the strange and corybantic script of the Guado. They marched through the doorway and down a long winding path, to a set of steps that ascended high up to a sort of watery, flowing aura of energy; this was the portal into the Farplane. An elaborate hexagon cube of red stone engraved with flowering patterns surrounded the main portal, and there were six smaller portals at each point of the hexagon. As they ascended the steps, the party then quickly split into two factions; those who would enter and those who would not. Tidus, Yuna, Kimahri, Lulu and Wakka were the only ones to step beyond the middle of the stone stairway. Auron, Paine and Rikku remained below. Tidus turned back then to question them on their reluctance to enter the other realm.

"What, aren't you coming?" He asked Auron.

"No… I don't belong there. Not yet." Auron replied with a weary, raspy voice. It almost seemed that he was tired, as he was suddenly exhausted in fact.

"What's wrong? You scared?" Tidus prodded him.

"I have nothing to gain from it. I don't need to relive the past or see the ones who died. I see them now anyway, with perfect clarity. You go, and leave me be." Auron said dismissively.

"What about you two?" Tidus asked the young girls. Paine shook her head firmly, with a somber look upon her pale, fair face.

"If I went in there, I would see a lot of people that I would rather not see again. And a few that I probably shouldn't see again." Paine said with a reserved tone. Tidus looked at Rikku next, and she also shook her head.

"It's not really your loved ones that you see there; it's just the pyreflies reacting to the memories inside your head. They project the image of the person in your thoughts. It's an illusion, nothing more." She said.

"So you don't have anyone you want to see then, even if it's an illusion?" Tidus asked again.

"It's not that… it's just that I like to keep those thoughts within me. Memories are nice, but that's all they are." Rikku answered. Tidus nodded in acceptance then, and went up the steps to enter the Farplane and join the others. After he disappeared behind the veil, Rikku inched closer to Paine. It only took a minute for the quiet, austere swordmaiden to notice her presence.

"What now?" Paine said impatiently.

"I'm just curious… are those boots comfortable, or have you just not taken the time to replace them? Were you in the military or something?" Rikku asked.

"Yes, I was." Paine answered.

"Really? With who? For how long?" Rikku continued. Paine sighed irritably before she responded.

"I was a Crusader, for a few months before Operation Mi'ihen. Before that I was in basic training for two months." Paine said.

"Oh… I'm sorry to hear about what happened at the Operation. I'm glad you made it out alive! So how did you end up on the pilgrimage with Yuna?" Rikku asked. Paine spoke after a short moment.

"Yuna found me on the side of the road after the battle, and healed my wounds. She took me with her to Djose Temple, and that night I helped her tend to the wounded and send the dead. I decided to offer my services as a guardian to her the next day." Paine explained. Rikku beamed with amazement then.

"That's really touching actually. I'm glad that Yuna has so many devoted friends to protect her. Why did you volunteer for her?" Rikku asked.

"What do you mean?" Paine replied, stalling.

"It's a big commitment to be a guardian; there's a lot of risk involved. You must have a good reason to do that for a stranger, right?" Rikku surmised.

"Yes… I do." Paine said plainly.

"So… that's all?" Rikku prompted her.

"You like to keep your own thoughts inside, don't you think others might feel the same?" Paine said to her sternly. Rikku looked down to the floor and was quiet for a long moment.

"I'm sorry for intruding." She said at last.

"It's fine." Paine replied.

"It's just because she's my cousin… she's my last remaining family, other than Dad and Big Brother. I want what's best for her, but knowing that she chose to become a summoner really broke my spirit. I don't know what to do…" Rikku began to explain, but then Auron spoke up from across the stairway.

"Rikku… don't burden yourself with the future. It's not set. None of us can do anything other than take the right course of action when it comes to us, in the present. The past is dead, and the future has not even been born." Auron said to her.

"I know that… but how is right to let someone take a path that leads to them not having a future, at all?" Rikku asked him woefully.

"If it's the right thing to do, if it's their own choice, then the rest of us can only do our part and make our own choices. We each have to decide to act rightly for our own sake. But a path is just like a single thread in a tapestry; how many of us can see where it ends, or where it might turn back again?" Auron reasoned.

"I guess you're right. But I can't help myself. All I know is that I love Yuna, and I don't want to lose her…" Rikku replied. Auron nodded in understanding.

"Of course. But you love her because of all her virtuous qualities, and her choices, and her character. It's her eternal spirit that you love, and how can that be lost? It lives in memories and in emotions. If she were to compromise herself and yet live, would you still feel the same way about her? Would she feel the same way about herself? If you truly appreciate someone, you can only appreciate the nature of their spirit, and that is entirely born of their own accord, and lives within them alone. And no matter what happens or what choices we make, all of us must die at some point. No matter when it is, it is the same; we only lose the present moment. That is out of our hands; we have no choice on that. The only thing we may choose is whether we retain our true self or lose it, by the choices that we make. Even dying, at any time, doesn't change the spirit of a person. Only their actions and choices can do that." Auron said plainly. Rikku's eyes brightened for a brief moment, but soon they were misty and dim once again. She nodded in acknowledgment of his wisdom, but not in acceptance of its implications.

"I suppose you're right… so then I can only choose what seems right to me, when the time comes. Thank you, Sir Auron." Rikku said softly. After her, Paine suddenly spoke up next.

"Thank you, Sir Auron. What you have said gives me courage. It gives me peace..." Paine said, and she bowed respectfully to Auron. Auron nodded, and said no more. After a moment of silence, they saw the others begin to step out of the portal and down the stairs to join them.

"Did you see what you wanted to see?" Rikku asked Tidus.

"Yeah, I guess so." Tidus replied, a bit less than joyous over it. Rikku could see that the experience had been heavy upon him. Yuna was last to exit, and as she stepped down the stairs suddenly there was a burst of exclaiming voices and gasps of terror. Behind Yuna, a ghostly figure came struggling forth out of the Farplane.

"It's Lord Jyscal!" Lulu shouted in dismay. Immediately Auron began to act sick, and he fell to his knees.

"He doesn't belong here! Yuna, send him back now!" Auron shouted to the girl summoner. Yuna immediately began the dance of the sending, and whirled her wand in front of the ghost of Maester Jyscal. In a moment he was gone, dissipating into scattered pyreflies. Yuna fell to her knees in exhaustion then, but she noticed that something fell down on the floor in front of her, from out of the Farplane portal. It was a sphere. She quickly picked it up and hid it in the pocket of her skirt.

"Let's go now; back to the city!" Auron ordered them, and they all quickly walked down the steps and onto the path that led into Guadosalam.

"Why would he have come back like that? He must have died a wrongful death…" Lulu speculated.

"I really don't like this… gives me the creeps." Wakka said.

"Keep your guard up from now on. We don't know what kind of conspiracy could be going on in the city, or elsewhere." Auron advised them. Soon they were back in the city streets.

"I'm going to see Maester Seymour before we leave." Yuna said abruptly.

"Alright, we'll wait here for you. Kimahri, Paine, go with her. If anything strange comes up, get back to us immediately." Auron instructed them. They all went into the manor together. Tidus paced around in the courtyard then, and suddenly he wondered where Rikku had gone. He looked up at the overpass, and saw her standing there above, leaning on the side rail. Tidus walked up the spiralling path to join her there.

"Yunie's not getting married, is she?" Rikku asked him as he stood beside her.

"Seems that way." Tidus replied.

"Well then this is your last chance, huh?" Rikku teased, prodding him with her elbow. Tidus blocked her elbow, and spoke up impulsively, to fend her off.

"Well you know, actually I'd rather have you, Rikku." Tidus said with a grin.

"Oh! Uh… h-honestly?" Rikku stammered, taken aback. She looked away and giggled softly. Abruptly she started slapping him on the shoulder, and Tidus raised his arm defensively. Rikku bolted then, and jumped down from the overpass onto a lower street. She called back to him, saying something in Al-Bhed, and then she darted away.

"You'd have to stop hitting me first though…" Tidus said to himself, irritated. After a long moment of watching the door to Guado Manor, he walked down the spiralling path and found Rikku sitting on the guardrail of the lower road. He walked up to her and spoke.

"So that's where you went. What are you doing here alone?" He asked her.

"Just thinking. Say… you ever think about getting married?" She asked.

"Nah, not really." He answered.

"I think about it all the time." Rikku said.

"Aren't you kinda young to think about that?" Tidus asked.

"Well, some people get married pretty young in Spira, you know." Rikku informed him.

"You mean people our age? That's when people get married in Spira?" Tidus asked, bewildered.

"Of course. Fiends are around, and Sin is always there in the back of everyone's mind… if not right in front of them. There's always a chance each day, that one of them will get you, ya know! So lots of people don't wait when it comes to love. Lots of people marry the first person they fall in love with, just like that!" Rikku explained.

"Really?" Tidus said, surprised.

"I'll probably be the same way." Rikku continued.

"Hmmm… well, if it's what you want, why not? I guess it would be better in a lot of ways…" Tidus supposed, as he thought of it for the first time. At home in his modern Zanarkand, young people never thought of marriage, nor were they reminded of it by their elders. Of course this had created an aging society and shrinking population, but with the aid of machina no one noticed. Many children grew up with only one parent as well, often with no siblings, and few of them had any attachment to family.

"Are you an only child?" Rikku asked him next, as if she had read his mind.

"Yeah, I am." He replied.

"I've got an older brother, myself. We had another older brother too, but he died fighting fiends in the desert when I was really little. Then mom died too… so no more brothers or sisters." Rikku said dimly.

"Oh… I'm sorry." Tidus stalled, unsure of what to say.

"I wish I had some younger brothers and sisters though!" Rikku said exuberantly. "When I get married, I'm going to have lots of kids! That way they'll all have brothers and sisters! They won't have to face anything alone in life." Rikku announced whimsically.

"Sounds like a good plan…" Tidus agreed, and then he was silent.

"What's up?" She asked him.

"You're already thinking of your future, and all that. It's not something I'm used to." He said.

"It's pretty normal, I think. Hey, maybe Yuna is back now!" Rikku said abruptly, and she ran off toward the courtyard of Guado Manor. Tidus walked after her. It turned out that Yuna was back, and the rest of the party was waiting on him.

"So what happened?" Tidus asked.

"Trommel said that Maester Seymour left for Macalania Temple while we were visiting the Farplane." Yuna told him.

"Well then, I guess we'll meet him there, right?" Tidus suggested.

"Right. Let's get going; we have a long ways to walk to get there." Auron said, and he strode off toward the north exit of the city.

"Here we go again…" Tidus said, turning to follow him. Rikku suddenly ran up beside him and tussled his hair aggressively, saying something in Al-Bhed before she ran off after Auron.

"Hey, what gives!" Tidus exclaimed. Paine walked up to him then, and her face was uncustomarily brightened by a grin of amusement.

"She says she likes your hair, but Al-Bhed men are clean-cut, and she prefers that." Paine said to him.

"Really? Huh… hey wait a minute, you speak Al-Bhed?" He asked her.

"Yep. It's a long story." Paine said dismissively, and she marched onward with the rest of the company. Tidus brought up the rear then, on the way out of the city and northwards to Macalania.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Lightning and Ice, Thunder and Smoke**

Soon the party left the caves of Guadosalam behind them, and arrived in the open black plains and dark skies of the Thunder Plains. Lightning was arcing across the clouds, and quite frequently it struck the towers that stood scattered across the plains. The company walked just a little ways out from the cavern exit, and Tidus remarked on how extreme the atmosphere seemed.

"Hey, shouldn't we wait for the storm to clear up? This seems kinda dangerous." Tidus said.

"The storm won't clear up. It's always like this here; that's why they call it the Thunder Plains." Lulu informed him.

"Well, then how do we cross?" Tidus asked.

"Stay close to the towers, but not too close." Lulu advised him.

"Oh no… we're here." Rikku said with a gasp.

"Something wrong?" Tidus asked her.

"I hate lightning… and thunder. Ever since I was little girl, when I was attacked by a fiend on the beach. My brother tried to cast a lightning spell on the fiend, but he hit me instead!" Rikku said pitifully. Thunder cracked above them, and she jumped back with a screech.

"Let's get moving." Auron said, striding away on the path.

"Wait! Can't we go around?" Rikku asked frantically.

"It would take too long, and you knew that. I thought you said you were certain of this?" Auron called back to her.

"I know, but now that I'm here…" She said, and lightning flashed, and she knelt down and curled up tightly, hunching over.

"We're not waiting and we're not going around. Come on." Auron said, and then he continued on his way. The rest of the party followed him, and Rikku slowly trailed behind them.

Lightning struck the towers all around them as they went, and they encountered two close misses. Finally they came to waystation on the midway of the road. As they walked past it, suddenly Tidus stopped and spoke aloud.

"Hey, has anybody seen Rikku?" He asked. They all stopped then and looked back down the road from whence they had come. They could see Rikku on the ground there, crawling on her hands and knees.

"What happened!?" Tidus exclaimed immediately, running toward her. "Hey, are you alright?" He asked, placing a hand on her shoulder. He heard only a slow, deliberate, strange little chuckle in response.

"Heh heh heh heh…"

"Huh? What's up?" Tidus asked again.

"Heh heh heh heh heh…" Rikku continued.

"Heh heh heh! Geez! You're driving me crazy! What is the matter with you?" Tidus demanded then. Thunder cracked, and Rikku immediately hugged his legs.

"Hey! Wait!" Tidus cried as he lost his balance and toppled over. Wakka called back at them impatiently.

"Quit clownin' around! We got places to be, ya!" He said. Rikku climbed over Tidus then, kneeing and elbowing him until she managed to get by, and then she stood up.

"Wait! Can't we stay here and get some rest? It won't take that long, and we'll all be refreshed afterwards… what do you say?" She begged.

"No. We move on. If you can't handle it then stay here." Auron said firmly, and he marched on with determination. The rest of the company turned as well and followed after him.

"Please! I just need some rest…" Rikku pleaded with them, but they kept moving. She called out a few more times, but no one responded. Finally she crouched down in despair and started whimpering.

"Hey, what's the matter?" Tidus asked as he knelt in front of her.

"I can't help it… I'm scared, and it's exhausting to be out here with the constant thunder and lightning everywhere! I need to rest, so I can calm down." She said, and tears began forming in her emerald green eyes. Tidus felt his heart growing heavy then; he knew that he should have walked on with the others, but he felt sympathy and pity for her.

"Come on; I've got you." He said, and he lifted her up in his arms, and began striding down the road after the rest of the party. Soon the company stopped under a large lightning shelter near the last stretch of road before the Macalania woods. Tidus carried Rikku up in front of the shelter before letting her down, and the party watched them quietly, until Paine came striding out to shout at them.

"What is going on with you two?!" She yelled, clearly indignant and filled with disdain. Auron soon joined her, with a look of scorn upon his face.

"How can you be a guardian, if you can't even make the journey on your own two feet? You're supposed to help your comrades to support the summoner!" Auron scolded her.

"It's because of the lightning…" Rikku said weakly, but Paine immediately stepped forward and fumed at her, facing her eye-to-eye.

"I don't care if a lightning bolt _hits_ you! As long as you're still breathing you continue the mission!" She seethed, and she grabbed hold of Rikku by the back of the neck, and pulled her out across the plains.

"Hey, don't you think you're being a little harsh?" Tidus tried to intervene, but Auron grabbed him tightly by the shoulder.

"Let her go. She knows what she's doing. She's a soldier." Auron said. Paine pulled Rikku along by the neck, until she began struggling, at which point she pulled her by the hair and by her upper arm, with an iron grip, dragging her through the mud. Yuna was standing beside Tidus then, with her hand clasped over her mouth in dread. She watched silently as Paine dragged Rikku to the nearest lightning tower and threw her down with her back against it. Rikku tried to get up, but Paine kicked her back down against the tower and drew her sword, aiming the point at Rikku's throat.

"Stop her! Don't let her hurt her!" Yuna cried out.

"Let me help. Yuna, stay here. I'll go out to them." Lulu offered dutifully, and she strode out across the plain toward the two girls at the base of the lightning tower. Rikku sat weeping and sobbing at the base of the tower, gazing through her tears, up across the mirror-like blade and upon Paine's solemn pale face.

"What have I done to make you hate me so much?" Rikku asked her between sobs and heavy gasps.

"It's not about hate. If you were my enemy I'd let you be weak. I only help my friends." Paine said, unmoved.

"You think this is how you treat a friend!?" Rikku cried.

"It's how I was treated by my friends, and I had to watch them die, and they went without being afraid. I'll never forget them. What makes you think you can be my companion, if you can't match their spirit?" Paine demanded haughtily.

"Do you think everything is about the past? I'm not them, and you're not a Crusader anymore!" Rikku retorted.

"No, it's not about them or the past. It's about Yuna now, and the rest of Spira. With everyone else at stake, all their lives and dreams, how can you still be afraid for yourself? Are you more important than all of them?" Paine asked her sternly. Rikku turned her gaze downward then, and spoke softly.

"No… I'm not." She admitted bleakly. Lightning struck the tower then, and the thunderclap roared over them, and vibrated through them. Rikku squirmed and sobbed, and writhed miserably against the tower. Soon Lulu was there with them and she spoke to Paine with a calm but firm voice.

"Paine, let me speak with her. You can go back to the others." She said. Paine looked upon her with a fiery red gaze, but she saw the tranquil seriousness and resolve in Lulu's countenance, and she nodded in acquiescence. Paine returned her sword to its scabbard and walked back toward the shelter. Lulu knelt down in front of Rikku then, with a faint and gentle smile on her lips and sympathy in her amber eyes.

"Hey, it's alright to be afraid. You can cry all you want to, and I don't blame you. The others might not understand what it's like to be a girl and to be afraid, but I know how it feels. But if you want to get over it, and not be afraid anymore, you have to realize that everything negative in your life is a part of you as much as everything that you enjoy and cherish. The key to not being afraid anymore is to make your fears a part of you, that you can control." Lulu told her.

"How can I do that? I don't understand…" Rikku stammered softly.

"If you want to, take my magic, and in time I'll show you…" Lulu said, and she stood upright then, extending a hand to Rikku with her palm turned upward. Sparks and flowing electrical energy began to spring from her wrist, palm and fingertips, and soon a lighting orb hovered in her hand, shimmering with vibrant electric power. Rikku gazed at it in wonderment and awe.

"It won't hurt. Take it…" Lulu offered once more. Rikku slowly lifted her hand then and reached cautiously for the orb. Some of the magical energy arced onto her fingers then and she immediately pulled her hand back. She noticed that the magic did not harm her, and so she reached for it again and saw the orb slip into her own palm and begin channeling its energy into her fingers. She felt the warmth and pulsing energy enter her arm and her whole body, and it enlivened her mind, clarifying her thoughts. Suddenly she was fascinated and no longer afraid, at least not to any serious degree.

"That was amazing!" Rikku said, wiping her face and gazing with ardent graciousness and admiration upon Lulu.

"It's only the beginning. Come on now; get up and let's go back to the others." Lulu coaxed her warmly.

"I don't know… can I? Should I?" Rikku asked self-consciously.

"Of course. You're one of us. We all have to stick together and make it through. We're not going to turn on each other or put our own team members down. Paine just has a tough and straightforward style, that of a fighter. She never meant you any harm. I hope you'll forgive her. But for now let's go." Lulu said, and she offered Rikku her hand once more, and when Rikku clasped it she lifted her up and together they walked back to the shelter and their companions.

"Are you alright now?" Auron asked her.

"Yep! Never better." Rikku said, forcing a smile and stretching her arms and her back vigorously and without being startled as a lightning bolt arced behind her and cracked the sky. "So, let's get back on the road! We're almost to the forest!" She said, and she went skipping on the path toward Macalania. The rest of the company followed her and soon they had reached the enchanted crystal forest of Macalania.

"Wow! It's so pretty!" Rikku said exuberantly, and she giggled as she skipped from one colorful bush to another, and chased a butterfly across the path.

"Is she alright? What did you do to her, Lulu?" Tidus asked in bewilderment.

"That's the feeling I had when I first felt the power of magic. It's very liberating… and she is young after all. She'll be fine, don't worry." Lulu assured him calmly. Paine stood behind Lulu, and listened to her words carefully. She watched Rikku as she went along, seemingly unaffected by the harshness of her treatment of the girl. It baffled her.

The party made their way through the twisting and curling paths of the blue and aqua-colored forest that sparkled majestically. The soft sounds of chiming crystals and fluttering leaves surrounded them, and a placid aura was about the woods. As they came to the middle of the woods suddenly they heard a booming masculine voice calling to them. It was Barthello. The huge, hulking guardian came running down the path. He was clad in furs and leather boots, prepared for the cold weather ahead of them.

"Hey! Have you seen Dona?" he asked them, breathing heavily as he sprinted toward them and came to a stop in front of Auron and Tidus.

"Nah, we haven't seen her." Wakka answered plainly.

"What happened?" Lulu asked.

"We got… separated. She was right in front of me and then suddenly she was gone! Damn it all! I have to find her!" Barthello said, blustering with frustration and desperation.

"Calm down first. Anger and fear will not help you; they'll confuse you." Auron advised him.

"But if anything happens to her, I…" Barthello began, flustered and upset.

"Running around frantic is not going to help. Recover your senses, or you'll make mistakes. First guard your emotions, then guard your summoner." Auron said to him. Barthello was practically steaming at that point.

"But! But… I… uh…" He groaned in dismay. Finally his massive muscles sulked and relaxed from their tension, and he cooled down. "You're right. Thank you, Sir Auron… I remember now why I always respected you. I shouldn't have let my discipline slip so far."

"You'll overcome it. Do you need us to help you search for her?" Auron asked him dutifully.

"No… I've taken up too much of your time already. You have your own pilgrimage to finish. Good luck, and farewell. Sir Auron, it's been an honor." Barthello said lastly, and then he bowed to Auron before turning and heading back on the path from whence he came. Rikku dashed to the front of the party then, looking as if she was about to chase after him.

"Hey, what's up?" Wakka asked her as she came to a stop.

"Oh, nothing! I just wanted to wish him good luck." Rikku said innocently. Wakka merely nodded and strode onward. Paine and Auron both glanced at Rikku, but said nothing and marched on, with the rest of the company behind them.

As they were walking down the path they came alongside a thick overgrowth of branches and tree roots. Auron abruptly stopped there and examined their surroundings, as if he knew this place in particular.

"What's going on, old man?" Tidus asked him.

"It's here… an old memory from my pilgrimage with Jecht and Braska!" Auron said, grinning with fulfillment.

"Where?" Yuna asked curiously.

"It should be in here." Auron said, turning toward the thick wall of branches.

"How could we get through that? It'll take forever!" Tidus said.

"No, it won't take long. You should see this." Auron said, and he took up his katana and stood poised to strike, channeling his energy and focus. He struck swiftly then, and began to clear the tangle of branches with alarming speed. Soon he had made a clearing for them, and then entered into a hidden glade. The forest floor beneath them was a clear pool of water, rising as if from some underground stream, through a meshed netting of tree roots that they walked across into the middle of the glade. Auron went to the back of the glade and looked down into the tangled roots and crystalline waters, and he reached down and retrieved a blue sphere.

"Here it is!" He said triumphantly, and he handed the sphere to Tidus. All of their companions clustered around him.

"Looks pretty old… I dunno if you can play it back." Wakka surmised.

"It was Jecht who left it here. Trust me, play it back." Auron urged him. Tidus sat down in the water glade and held the sphere out in front of him, for all to see. He played it back then, and it crackled forth with a visage of Jecht, Braska and a younger Auron, intermittently appearing in the scenes that unfolded as they took turns recording. In the first seen they beheld Braska and Auron leaving Bevelle across its Highbridge, while Jecht recorded and spoke with them. Auron asked him his intentions, and Jecht explained that he was making a record of the journey for his wife and child. He asked Braska why no one had come to see them off, and Braska explained it would make the departure too difficult. From there the sphere flashed to a scene in Macalania, with Jecht and Auron in the frame, seemingly uncomfortable with being in close proximity to each other. They had a dispute with each other, and then the scene ended. The final scene took place in the glade where they were now seated, and Jecht was sitting there in the waters. He spoke to the sphere, with no one else around. It was clear that he spoke to Tidus. He soon left the view of the sphere in frustration, and it broke from the scene only to reappear a moment later, this time with Jecht out of view.

" _I believe in you. Be good. Goodbye._ " Was Jecht's final message.

"You know, he sounded almost serious for a minute there. But it was too late." Tidus said grimly.

"He was serious. He accepted his fate, as part of Spira rather than his home world. He always talked about going home to Zanarkand, but as the pilgrimage went on he changed. Soon he began to realize that it wasn't possible. We did it to him, I realize that now… he saw Braska's resolve and my solemness, and he began to understand. He decided to join Braska in his fight against Sin, no matter the cost." Auron alluded vaguely.

"So, he gave up on going home?" Tidus asked.

"That was his decision." Auron said, and he walked away across the glade. Tidus gazed into the waters of the glade then, in contemplation. Rikku hovered closer to him then, and gently placed a hand on his arm.

"You alright?" She asked him.

"Yeah… I think I am. I have some things to be glad about, after all." Tidus said, facing her with a smile. Then he turned to the others. "Well, let's go guys! We've got a pilgrimage to finish and world to save!"

Everyone smiled faintly and a few of them cheered, but their joy faded much quicker than his did as they resumed the march through the woods. Auron hung back for a moment, and waited for Tidus to reach him.

"Jecht loved you, you know." He said to Tidus.

"What? Come on, why say that?" Tidus asked irritably.

"Because it's the truth… and he told me that he always had a hard time saying it himself. But he wanted you to know." Auron replied. Tidus shifted uncomfortably and urged him to move on.

"Alright, I get it. Enough about my old man for a while, ok?" Tidus said. Auron simply nodded, and they continued on the paths through the woods. It was a quiet journey from then on. Cold winds began to seep into the forest as they went further north, and nipped at their skin. Finally they came to the edge of the forest, and the snow-beaten paths around Macalania Lake. As they crested the hill they saw it, a large sheet of ice that covered the lake. A travel agency was there on the road. Auron led them to it and then turned to face them.

"Get some warmer clothes or coats at least. You'll want them for the rest of the journey, here in Macalania and also when we reach Gagazet." He advised them. They went into the Al-Bhed shop and bartered, and were able to purchase warmer clothes and furs, hides of white lupines with thick winter coats. Lulu bought a cloak of two lupine hides, one white and the other gray, stitched together side-by-side. Their faces rested over her shoulders, with gleaming glass eyes set in their sockets. Rikku wore tall white socks and winter boots, khaki shorts and a fur-lined coat, with a stocking cap on her head. Yuna was clad in a robe of white fur. All of the others bought lupine hides to drape over their shoulders, and they felt comfortable enough to continue onward to Macalania temple. While they sat in the lounge of the travel agency, Auron went to Yuna and spoke quietly to her.

"Have you made your decision yet?" He asked her. Yuna nodded.

"Yes. I should tell everyone at once, before we go on. Will you bring them all back to my chamber?" She asked him. Auron nodded and collected the rest of the company, and they all went into the back hallway of the travel agency and into Yuna's room.

"Yunie, what will you choose?" Rikku asked her anxiously. Yuna patted her cousin's shoulder and then spoke to the whole party.

"I've decided to marry Lord Seymour." Yuna said.

"Are you sure?" Paine asked her with concern.

"Yes, this is how it should be. I have to do what I can, for the people of Spira and for Yevon's unity. I must maintain the faith however I can." Yuna explained. Auron looked upon her and nodded.

"Alright… and as for the pilgrimage?" He asked her intently.

"I will continue, but I'm not sure how. Seymour said that he wanted to complete the pilgrimage with me. But somehow, I can't see him joining our party. I'm not sure what he expects." Yuna revealed.

"Whoa! Now that would be somethin', to travel on pilgrimage with a Maester!" Wakka said in excitement.

"No, you're right… he would never join us. We must discuss it with him, then. After the wedding, your pilgrimage must continue, one way or another, until the end." Auron said firmly. Yuna nodded.

"I agree. I will be sure of it." She assured him.

"Very well then. We will go on with this engagement." Auron concluded. Tidus immediately stepped in front of him.

"Wait! Really? You're okay with this? What if the party is split up?" Tidus asked, perplexed.

"We'll all do whatever it takes to finish the mission. Sin must be defeated, and Yuna is our best chance at doing that. That is our duty." Auron said plainly. "As long as she continues the pilgrimage, she is free to make her own choices along the way."

"Alright… if that's it then, let's go." Yuna said to them all.

As they strode out of the travel agency and down onto the thick ice of the lake, they were met there by a group of half a dozen Guado troops, escorting Trommel. He came to greet them and to escort Yuna to Macalania Temple.

"Lady Yuna, it is a pleasure to see you again so soon! Indeed sooner than we had hoped." He said to her.

"I'm glad to see you as well, Trommel. I've come to give my answer to Maester Seymour, if he is ready to see me now." Yuna said.

"Oh indeed, my Lady, he would be overjoyed I'm sure! He does send his apologies for leaving Guadosalam without notice. I hope you can understand. If you are prepared, then we will happily escort you all to Macalania Temple now!" Trommel offered.

"Yes, that would be nice." Yuna said. They marched along the lake and onto the icy ravine with the Guado accompanying them, and it was a long walk to the icy tunnels that led down, spiralling under the surface of the ice sheet, to the temple of Macalania below it, nestled in frozen spires. When they arrived, one of the priests at the entrance gave them some difficulty.

"Who is this girl with you? She's an Al-Bhed!" The priest exclaimed loudly.

"What is the meaning of this? She is one of Lady Yuna's guardians! Please do relax and be civil!" Trommel commanded him.

"But sir, how can an Al-Bhed be a guardian in the service of Yevon? Is it not impossible?" The priest argued in disbelief.

"She wishes to protect Yuna, and aid her in finishing the pilgrimage. That is enough to be a guardian." Auron said to him as he strode up the steps.

"Indeed, it is as Sir Auron has said. Now desist, and let us pass!" Trommel ordered. With that, the priest bowed and walked away silently. Wakka was immediately unhinged, however.

"What did he say? Rikku is an Al-Bhed? He was wrong, wasn't he?" Wakka asked, flustered.

"Well… actually… he wasn't wrong." Rikku said hesitantly.

"Are you serious! I don't believe this!" Wakka yelled.

"What's the problem, Wakka? She's the same Rikku that she was a minute ago. She's always been true to us." Tidus argued on her behalf.

"But she's a heathen!" Wakka fumed.

"And she's a good person!" Tidus retorted.

"How do you know that, huh?" Wakka continued to bluster.

"Wakka, just relax. You're overreacting. Rikku is one of us now, she's part of this team. Her heart is in the right place." Lulu assured him.

"I can't believe this! How could you not tell me!" Wakka said, infuriated. Yuna spoke up then, attempting to alleviate the rising tension.

"Wakka, please don't be angry. Yes, Rikku is Al-Bhed, and she's my cousin, and I'm half Al-Bhed myself. Does that change your loyalty to me as well?" Yuna asked him, putting him to the test. Wakka immediately deflated then.

"Yuna… I… uh…" He said with a deep sigh, and he sat down on the steps in despair.

"Lady Yuna, I shall send some acolytes to help him, for now we should go inside the temple." Trommel urged her. Yuna nodded and went with him then.

"Leave him, and come on. We need to be there with Yuna." Auron said to Tidus and the others. They quickly followed him inside. Once within they saw Seymour standing in the center of the main chamber of the temple, with Yuna and Trommel standing before him. Auron immediately went to them and spoke directly to Seymour.

"Lord Seymour, surely you understand that we, as Yuna's guardians, are very concerned for her future and the completion of her pilgrimage. Surely you know that we must insist on being present and being able to voice our concerns, when the decisions for her future are made." Auron told him. Seymour gave him a haughty look, but he nodded in agreement.

"I understand that, Sir Auron, and likewise I hope you do realize that I have a duty to uphold the faith and grace of Yevon. I have to do what I think is best for all of Spira. Now that Lady Yuna has told me her decision, I wish to speak with her further, alone for the time being. I wish to go through the cloister of trials with her myself, and when we return you shall see her again. Will you accept this?" Seymour asked him bluntly. Auron hesitated, glaring at the Guado Maester. Finally he nodded and bowed his head. Seymour smirked then, and offered his hand to Yuna. When she took hold of it, he walked with her to the staircase and ascended it into the inner cloister, with only a couple of Guado guards following them. Once they had entered the cloister, Seymour's guards set to clearing the path for them, while he strode leisurely with Yuna and spoke to her.

"I trust your journey from Guadosalam was not too uncomfortable, was it my Lady?" Seymour asked.

"No, it was quite nice actually. I look forward to continuing it, Lord Seymour." Yuna replied.

"I'm sure you would. But if you intend to marry me, there will be a considerable detour first." Seymour reminded her.

"I understand. What will happen next, then?" She asked him, a bit nervously.

"We'll go to Bevelle from here, and plan a wedding ceremony. Of course you'll visit the temple there as well. Then there are a few sites that you may not have marked on your tour, that we should not overlook. Yevon knows of hidden old temples across Spira, where powerful Aeons lie. They will be of use to us in our final battle with Sin." Seymour informed her.

"Our final battle? So then, you intend to accompany me on the pilgrimage, with my guardians?" She asked.

"Not quite. Rather, I would have you accompany me, under my protection and the guard of my Guado and Bevelle soldiers. The road is increasingly dangerous for summoners these days, as I'm sure you might have heard. Of all those who set out for pilgrimage this year, you are the only one left; all the rest have mysteriously disappeared." Seymour told her.

"I had heard that, and it did trouble me. I appreciate your offer, but what of my own companions then?" Yuna asked him with concern.

"Let us discuss it after you attain the Aeon, my Lady. You should not cloud your thoughts before then. Be at peace, and dwell on tranquil things. We'll soon be wed, after all. It will be a joyous occasion for all of Spira!" Seymour said with a whimsical voice.

"Of course, you're correct." Yuna agreed quietly.

After they had reached the chamber of the Fayth and Yuna went within to meditate, after a bit less than an hour she returned from the chamber door, clumsy and exhausted. As she stumbled out and across the floor of the antechamber, Seymour quickly took her in his arms and held her up, smiling warmly upon her. His smile was inviting, but somehow a sinister hue shone faintly through it. Yuna looked upon him in quiet and helpless dismay, but she couldn't resist when he leaned down and kissed her. His guards had gone to wait in the cloister of trials, and the two of them were alone then. Once their lips parted, Yuna gazed fearfully at him and trembled.

"I know about Lord Jyscal… I saw his sphere." She whispered.

"Do you indeed? Do you know…" Seymour replied softly, with a wicked grin, as if he were totally unperturbed.

"Why did you do it?" She asked.

"Because he stood in the way of my plans for Yevon, and my quest to defeat Sin." Seymour answered plainly.

"What are you planning to do?" Yuna asked.

"To conquer Sin, of course. I'll do it with your help. Our love will be strong enough, to conquer all as they say." He said.

"But… I'm not in love with you." Yuna replied cautiously.

"In time, once you understand, you may love me more than anything. But for now that's just fine, my dear." He said to her in a voice full of creeping darkness.

"What are you going to do now? What about my pilgrimage?" She asked anxiously.

"As I said, you'll continue it with me, at the pace that I set, so that I may put everything into place properly before the end. Come along now, dear Yuna… I want to show you something." He said, and he led her along by the hand. They went back through the cloister, but took a secret passageway after Seymour activated a set of blue glyphs on the wall, using his own magic. They walked down a long hallway then and soon came to a spiralling staircase, leading up into a tall tower that overlooked the icy ravines and Macalania Lake. Once there, they looked through the tall windows on all sides of the tower.

"Look there." Seymour said, pointing to the ravine through which they had passed to reach the temple. There was nothing in the ravine itself, but on either side of it there were masses of men, with machina and artillery. They were bandits and Guado troops. They had placements all along the ravine, but many of them appeared to be waiting just out of sight of the lake.

"What is going on? Who are they?" Yuna asked him nervously.

"Mercenaries that I've hired. They've set an ambush." Seymour told her.

"An ambush? For who?" She asked him frightfully.

"For anyone I should choose to sick them on, naturally. They are keeping the Al-Bhed from interfering with anymore pilgrimages, for one… but they may also prevent further pilgrimages if I so wish it. They may also be used to eliminate your friends, if I so choose." He informed her darkly. Yuna gasped in horror.

"Why would you do this?" She asked him, stricken.

"Obviously I can't have anyone beating me to Sin, now can I? It really is imperative that you and I finish this pilgrimage together, dear Yuna… and no one else." Seymour told her.

"Why?" She asked, swiftly becoming dazed with her fright and confusion.

"Nevermind for now, dear. This is all you need to know; you must go back to your friends and tell them that you are coming with me to Bevelle, for the wedding. Tell them that you are under my protection from now on, and you will finish your pilgrimage with me. Tell them that you no longer want or need their services, and that they should leave. If you do that, I will not have them harmed. Otherwise, they will all be gotten rid of." Seymour threatened. Yuna didn't doubt his sincerity.

"But they'll never leave me…" Yuna said woefully.

"Convince them, or they'll be forced to." Seymour ordered her. Finally Yuna nodded in acceptance.

In the main chamber of the temple, the guardians waiting around the various corners and spaces of the room, on edge and restless. Tidus paced around impatiently. Lulu and Auron stood together beside the bottom of the steps. Lulu spoke then, airing her anxiety.

"I feel that something is wrong… I can't explain it, but I can't help feeling it." Lulu said to him.

"I agree… something is wrong. A lot of things are wrong, actually. Yuna is hiding something, and trying to take on the world by herself. It must be something very serious, that she thinks she is protecting us from." Auron surmised.

"What could it be? Could it be related to Lord Jyscal?" Lulu asked.

"Maybe… we'll know eventually, I'm sure." Auron supposed. Just as he spoke, the doors to the cloister opened, and Yuna came striding down the steps to meet them. Immediately all of her guardians gathered around her.

"Yuna! What happened?" Lulu asked her immediately.

"Where is Seymour?" Auron asked.

"Wait, please… we need to speak with each other in private. Let's go into the prayer chamber and ask the others to leave." Yuna proposed to them. They all agreed and went with her into the room to the right of the stairway. Once there they had the acolytes leave, and they stood around the room listening intently. Auron was first to speak.

"What's going on, Yuna? Is there something you're not telling us?" He asked.

"Only what I have to tell you now. I'm leaving with Maester Seymour to Bevelle, where we'll be married. We'll continue the pilgrimage from there, together. Lord Seymour says that he wants me under his protection from now on, because of the disappearance of all the summoners recently." Yuna told them all, with a slow and quiet voice. All of the companions watched her intently, but also glanced upon each other, gauging the response to her words. Tidus spoke first.

"And you're ok with that?" He asked, taken aback. Yuna nodded slowly.

"Yes… I think it should be that way." She admitted.

"But what about all of us then? Your guardians? Doesn't he think we're capable? We've made it this far already, the pilgrimage is over halfway finished…" Lulu said.

"Seymour doesn't want anyone else coming with us, other than his soldiers, but I have my own reasons. I don't know how to say this correctly, to tell you how I truly feel and why I want it this way… all I can say is that I don't want anyone else to die, and I don't want to say goodbye at the end. I don't want all of you to watch what happens to me…" Yuna said softly, with tears forming in her eyes. Lulu broke down and hugged her then, and Rikku joined her. They wrapped Yuna tightly in their arms. They were crying together.

"I understand your reasons, but I still don't like it. You don't have to be ashamed of anything, Yuna. We're here for you, and we can take it." Wakka said to her.

"I don't understand it, Wakka, to be honest. Why can't we go along? The more of us there are, the more safe she'll be. I mean we're Yuna's guardians. If we do our job well, then nothing bad is going to happen, right?" Tidus asked plainly, as if it all made perfect sense. No one answered him, and he immediately felt a tingling sensation on the back of his neck, and it spread all across his skin. "Right?!" He shouted. Still no one answered. Tidus began seething and twitching irritably. Finally Auron spoke.

"You don't know the whole story." He said with a low, raspy voice.

"What else is there to know? We're Yuna's guardians, we protect her and help her fight Sin. After we defeat it, we all go home, right?" Tidus said, raising his voice.

"Not all of us." Yuna said, her soft voice was cracking and she stammered. Tidus snapped.

"What's going on here!" Tidus shouted. Rikku spoke then, with tears streaming down her face.

"It's because of the Final Aeon! Once Yuna summons it, the Final Aeon is gonna kill her, you know!" She cried. Tidus shifted clumsily then and took a few steps back.

"What are you talking about?" He demanded, in an exhausted and drained voice.

"It happens every time… once the Final Aeon is summoned, it goes on a rampage. It kills the summoner first, and then it destroys Sin. No summoner has ever survived the Final Summoning… it is an act of self-sacrifice." Lulu explained to him. Tidus breathed heavily, but he couldn't seem to stand still. He spoke in a soft and unsteady voice.

"How could you not have told me this? How could you allow it? Isn't she like a sister to you, Lulu?" Tidus asked, barely able to stand.

"No one ever talks about it. It's too painful." Yuna answered him. Tidus looked at Auron then, and he glared fiercely at him. Finally his strength returned to him, with a surge of rage. Tidus flew across the room and grabbed Auron by his collar, and pushed him backward against the wall.

"You knew this all along! You knew this would happen! How dare you, old man! How could you throw away her life, and never tell me what you were up to!?" Tidus shouted, and he started punching Auron's ribs furiously then. Kimahri and Wakka pulled him away and held onto his arms tightly. Tidus struggled and groaned angrily, but they held on until he was exhausted.

"Stop it! No more fighting! I don't want it to be this way!" Yuna cried out. Tidus finally calmed then, and fell to his knees. He crawled in front of her, with tears streaming from his eyes.

"Why? Why would you all go along with this?" Tidus demanded, but he could barely breathe in enough air to convey his words. Finally he collapsed on the floor and said nothing. Yuna spoke then, while Rikku and Lulu clung to her.

"It's my decision. I love you all, and I don't want to see you suffer. I want you to remember me alive, and happy. Please… from now on when you speak of me, only talk about my life, and not about my death or the end of the pilgrimage. Whenever anyone asks you about me, only talk about the good things. I know I'm not special and I have no right to expect that… but if I could have one thing, that's what I would ask for." Yuna beseeched them with damp eyes and a fading voice. Auron nodded at her and stepped away from the wall then.

"Very well, Yuna. If that's how you want it, I respect your wishes. The last thing I will say… is that serving Lord Braska was the greatest honor of my life, and you have increased his legacy in my eyes. Farewell." He said, and he walked out of the chamber. Lulu released Yuna reluctantly then, and followed Auron out into the main chamber of the temple.

"Surely we can't allow this! You know that it isn't right!" She hissed in a hushed voice.

"No, it isn't right, and I intend to speak with Seymour." Auron said. As he spoke, the doors to the cloister of trials opened, and Seymour came striding down with his guards. Auron called up to him immediately with a stern tone. "Maester Seymour! What's the meaning of all this? How can you justify breaking the oaths between a summoner and her guardians?" Auron demanded. Seymour stepped over to him and glared directly into his eye.

"I should ask you, Sir Auron, what kind of guardian you are, that you allowed an Al-Bhed stranger to take the guardian's oath and serve with you. Are you not aware of what has been happening? Reports have it that the Al-Bhed have been abducting summoners on the pilgrimage, and disappearing them to Yevon knows where. We have no idea what they are doing with them. It is only because of Lady Yuna's pleading that I have decided to let you all go, but I warn you Sir Auron, that Al-Bhed girl is most likely a spy." Seymour said convincingly.

"You don't know that… she's Yuna's own cousin!" Auron retorted.

"I suspect it, and I cannot take the risk. Lady Yuna is the only summoner still on the pilgrimage now. She must be protected, and she must reach Zanarkand safely. I am taking custody of her myself. Sir Auron, you and your companions are relieved of your duties, in the name of Yevon. That is my final word." Seymour said to him harshly, and then he walked away to the prayer chamber, and he came back out with Yuna by his side. Yuna gazed at the floor the whole way, as they left the temple together. A dozen soldiers, of Yevon and the Guado, followed with them.

Rikku and Paine came out of the chamber swiftly, watching as Yuna left with the entourage, and they protested angrily, but no one listened. All of the others came out into the main chamber then, and Lulu spoke to Auron.

"Something is wrong… I feel that we've made a mistake! We have to challenge Lord Seymour on this! You know this isn't right!" Lulu urged him.

"You're correct… I know he's up to something, but I don't know what, and I have no proof. So there's nothing we can do, unless you want to fight all of Yevon. Yuna has made her choice, and there's nothing we can do about it now." Auron replied grimly. As soon as he had spoken, Wakka began shouting.

"This is all your fault, heathen! It's because of you! You're a spy!" He shouted ferociously at Rikku.

"It's not my fault! You were the ones who wanted to give her up to be sacrificed!" Rikku cried out, and she sobbed loudly. All of the temple priests and acolytes began shouting and moaning in anger then.

"That's blasphemy! Get her out of the temple at once!" The head priest cried. Auron stepped quickly to Rikku and grabbed her arm, and he pulled her out of the temple with him. Once outside on the front platform he whirled her around to face him and glared upon her with his one good eye burning bright.

"Is it true? What do you know about the Al-Bhed kidnappings?" He demanded. Rikku's eyes streamed and she trembled, but finally she confessed.

"What did you expect me to do? Let her die? You said that a person's spirit lives by their actions… well, I have to save Yuna!" Rikku cried. Auron grimaced in moral anguish then. Of course he couldn't fault her for what she was doing, but he was still angered by the situation it had landed them in.

"Where have they taken the rest of the summoners, then? Where are they now?" He demanded.

"They were taken to our Home… on Bikanel Island." Rikku said.

"You have a locator beacon, don't you? Start using it. Call them to pick us up. You're taking me to Bikanel, and then you're releasing the summoners." He said firmly. Rikku looked away, but he shook her in his grasp until she faced him again. "Do it, Rikku, and don't play any games with me. This is serious, and you need to make things right."

"By letting people die?" She argued meekly.

"People _are_ dying! Call them now!" Auron fumed. Rikku reached into her pouch on her left leg, and produced a small device with an antenna. She pressed the keys on it, and then nodded to him timidly. Auron released her then.

"Come on. We'll walk back to Bevelle, and they can pick us up there." Auron said. As he turned to walk back on the path southward, the rest of their companions came pouring out of the temple and called to him.

"Where do you think you're going, old man!" Tidus roared at him.

"What are we supposed to do now?" Lulu asked as she strode toward Auron.

"Rikku is taking me to Bikanel Island, to release the summoners that were captured. I'm going to finish the pilgrimage with them, if Yuna hasn't already completed hers. The rest of you can come with me, or go home. I don't care either way." Auron said plainly. Tidus rushed forth and tackled him then, but this time Auron wrestled up onto him and punched him several times until he quit resisting.

"You want to save Yuna? Do you?" Auron demanded.

"Yes…" Tidus gasped out.

"Then come with me, and we'll finish the pilgrimage before her." Auron offered.

"To sacrifice someone else?" Tidus said with disdain.

"It was their decision. Now it's up to you. Do you want it to be Yuna or one of them?" Auron prodded him, and he grabbed Tidus' throat and slammed his head against the platform. "What's it going to be?"

"I'll go with you!" Tidus finally relinquished, and Auron immediately released him and stepped off, and headed for the path.

"If you're coming, then get moving." He said, without turning back. Immediately Paine and Rikku followed him, and Lulu trailed directly behind them. Tidus struggled to get up then, and he turned back to face Kimahri and Wakka.

"What are you doing, Kimahri?" He asked, bewildered that the Ronso was still there. With a grim look upon his cat-like features, Kimahri spoke in a deep voice.

"Kimahri belong with Yuna. If Yuna not wish Kimahri's protection, then he watches over her another way… in secret." Kimahri said, and he strode onto the path then, saying no more. Tidus gazed upon Wakka next.

"I'm done, bruthuh. I won't be caught dead with those Al-Bhed heathens again, and if Yuna doesn't want me with her, then I'm going home. I have to atone for breaking the teachings, and ask forgiveness." Wakka said sulkily.

"You want to give up, just like that!?" Tidus shouted. Wakka shook his head.

"What else can I do? I was in this for Yuna, now I don't have a reason to do it. She made her choice. Now I've made mine. So long, bruthuh, and good luck." Wakka said, and then he turned back and went into the temple. Tidus grimaced in outrage, but he said nothing and immediately turned to chase after the rest of the company. He met them out in the icy ridge road, and they made their way through the whipping winds and snow. None of them spoke then, they only walked on in a ghost-like silence and apparent anguish, as if they were haunting the empty and austere landscape. Tidus himself couldn't summon up any words then. He simply marched on in silence, clinging to the lupine hide around his shoulders.

There was no sound other than the howling of the wind, until they were about halfway across the ridge and suddenly they heard a single gunshot. Kimahri was wounded on his left arm, and he crouched over, holding his wound. Auron reacted immediately, and he grabbed hold of Lulu and Rikku and pulled them behind a large crevice in the canyon wall. He began shouting to all the others.

"Get down! Find cover, now!" He ordered them. Paine had already instinctively slipped behind a boulder, and Tidus ran to Kimahri and pushed him behind one as well. More gunshots cracked the dry, frosty air then, and bullets ricocheted off the boulders they had sheltered themselves with. Auron peered across the top of the canyon's side, trying to spot their enemy. He suddenly noticed a long barrel glinting on the precipice opposite to them. Another round was fired, and it impacted the ridge wall right in front of him. Auron slid back behind cover then.

"It's an ambush! Stay behind cover!" Auron shouted to the rest of the party. As soon as he had spoken he heard the sounds of shouting men, running toward them from the temple. They were bandits.

"What will we do?" Lulu asked him.

"Use your magic on the snipers, and then we'll make a run for it. Keep moving, so they can't target us!" Auron instructed her. Lulu nodded, and began conjuring her lightning magic. She peered around the corner and focused on the three riflemen she could see on the edge of the ravine, and then she cast a chain-lightning spell upon them all. It shocked them all and either threw them off the edge or stunned them momentarily, and then Auron dashed out from behind the crevice.

"Run for it! Keep moving!" Auron shouted.

The whole party ran down the length of the ridge as fast as they could. Gunshots sounded and bullets sparked around them, but they managed to reach the edge of Macalania Lake. Kimahri was the last one out of the ridge, but before he could reach the lake he was hit by a bullet in his leg, and he fell down onto his knees. Tidus turned to look back, and he immediately ran to aid the Ronso brave. Before he could reach him, two more gunshots sounded and two bullets flew into Kimahri's back. Tidus froze in place then, gripped by shock. Kimahri's gaze was upon him, until the Ronso warrior fell forward onto the ice, and did not move again.

"Get out of there!" Auron shouted at him. Bullets struck the ice right in front of Tidus, and he turned then and ran to join the others in the middle of the lake. As soon as he met them, they saw two squads of bandits come charging over the snowy hills, and another team of them came down the road from the travel agency, blocking their escape. The bandits in front of them were armed with swords and spears, nets and tridents, and they came rushing in teams to attack. Auron drew his sword and stood ready for battle then.

"Stand your ground! We fight through!" He ordered the others, and they had already drawn their weapons. The first wave of enemies came at them, thrusting spears and slashing with their swords. Auron and Paine cut down two of them; another threw his net over Rikku, and Tidus killed him and then struggled to cut Rikku loose. Lulu hurled fire and lightning at them, but they used shields or else retreated and came back again. For the companions it was a brutal fight.

As they struggled on the icy lake, overpowered and seemingly hopeless, suddenly a familiar figure appeared hulking and big on the snowy hill overlooking the lake. He was muscular and tall, broad-shouldered and built like a mountain of power. It was Barthello. He was carrying a long, heavy chain, and the end of it was dragging a spiked steel ball, the size of a blitzball. He had a dark bandana over his lower face, and studded-leather armor around his waist, furs around his upper legs and tall leather boots on his feet. His rippling, muscular upper body was bare above the midriff, apart from his bandoleer and his banded bracers. An amulet of tiger-iron beads was around his neck. He was prepared for battle. (Barthello's battle theme is "Gods of War" by Manowar.)

"Get to the hill!" He shouted down to them with a booming voice, and then he descended onto the ice with the mighty flail swinging furiously beside him. Suddenly he sent the spiked ball flying at the yeti fiend, and it smashed into the beast's chest, sending it flying backward.

"Come on! Get off the ice!" Auron called to the companions, as if he knew what Barthello was planning to do. Auron made his way through the enemy ranks, marching steadily and cleaving them widely with his katana, until they respected the danger he could wield and made way for him. Paine and Tidus backed him on either side, making a wedge and clearing the path for their friends to follow in their wake. When they reached Barthello he waved his mighty hand, motioning them to get behind him.

"Use my magic, to charge your weapon!" Lulu said to him, and she conjured up two orbs of lightning into her hands, and then sent them into the steel ball. Barthello then swung the flail around in a wide arc, spinning with it on his heel until it was spiralling at an incredible speed, and then he stood firm and swung it upward, then brought it down with a clash of steel and thunder. The lightning energy exploded with a blast when the flail struck the ice, and instantly it sent a pulse through the frozen sheet and cracked it down the middle. All of their enemies still on the lake were crouching low in dismay, and before they could escape the ice shattered, plunging them all into the dark depths below.

Barthello gazed across the scene then. He thought he had dispatched them all, but two more squads came over the snowy hills, and began running around the lake to reach them. He let go of the chain then, and grabbed a large spiked club and a shield that had been dropped by one of the bandits, and then he ran to join the party at the top of the hill by the travel agency.

"Sir Auron, I will fight beside you!" Barthello offered gallantly. Auron shook his head.

"No, there are too many of them. We retreat, back through the woods, and into Bevelle." Auron said to them, and he beckoned for them to follow with a wave of his hand, before he turned and ran into the Macalania forest. The party followed him and they jogged steadily through the woods, taking the fork to Bevelle and to the High Bridge entrance. When they arrived however, they found a whole platoon of bandits blocking the path. Gunshots were fired at them, and Auron himself was wounded on his good arm. His grip weakened and he dropped his katana. Barthello grabbed Auron by his shoulder and pulled him away into the woods. They began running through Macalania then, without time to plan or think of their escape. They soon reached the outskirts of the forest and came out onto the Thunder Plains, and they ran to the lightning shelter. They were all fully exhausted when they reached it, and dragged themselves under it. Only Barthello remained standing.

"This is madness! Why would so many bandits pursue you?" Barthello asked them in bewilderment.

"Why indeed!" Paine fumed angrily.

"Betrayal…" Auron said, gasping for breath and clutching his wounded arm. As they looked back over the dark plains, they saw the bandits swarming out from the woods and charging down the road toward them.

"We have to go! Can you run, old man?" Tidus asked Auron frantically. Auron shook his head.

"Go… leave me." Auron said. They began to argue, but Barthello walked over the plains toward the enemy, and he raised his booming voice. His breath was mighty, and his voice rolled up over the sky, echoing across the Thunder Plains. He seemed to be singing a monk's song, a long, boisterous ode. It was in another language. As Barthello gave this battle hymn up to the storming sky, suddenly the lightning began to surge everywhere across the horizon, and the clouds grew even darker. It was as though a summoning had begun; magical portals appeared in the clouds, opening up to send forth a blazing golden chariot, drawn by black rams, and in it rode a Fayth that looked like a man, with a long blood-red beard and a horned helmet upon his head, and eyes that beamed with white lightning in them, sparking from his pupils. His shoulders were broad, and his muscles were bulging and immense. He was clad in golden scale armor. He held a golden cudgel in one hand, and a longbow of ebony wood in the other. Quivers full of golden arrows were at each side of his chariot.

None of them could believe their eyes, but they stood in shock and amaze as the chariot rolled thunderously across the sky. His voice boomed, and a thunder-burst cracked the sky, and icy hail poured out of the clouds. The Fayth in the chariot was singing with a booming voice, and he set aside his cudgel and took up an arrow, fitting it to his longbow. The arrow blazed with fire as he pulled it back in the bowstring, and when he released it, the arrow flew like a lightning bolt or a shooting star, down upon the plains between the company and their enemies. A wall of fire, twenty feet high, spread across the whole plain then. This huge impassible blaze halted all the bandits at once, and every one of them turned and fled in a mad panic, their hearts pierced by Holy terror. The voice of the Fayth boomed once more then, and then a portal opened on the other side of the horizon, and into he rode his chariot and disappeared. The portal closed and was gone then, and soon the flames began to subside as rain poured from the clouds and wind gusted over the plains. Barthello raised his spiked club to the sky, and then he lowered it and turned back to face them all. They all gazed upon him awestruck, and speechless for a long moment.

"What in Spira was that!" Paine exclaimed.

"We call him Donar, the Storm Lord. He's what you might call a Fayth on my home island." Barthello answered her.

"How did you do that? Are you… a summoner?" Lulu asked him frightfully.

"I suppose I was in that moment… but in truth I'm a Holy warrior, as they say where I'm from. It's a long story. I'll tell you, maybe, along the way." Barthello replied. Auron stood up then and walked slowly toward him, gazing upon him with his one good eye.

"Whatever you did, we owe you for it. Thank you…" Auron said gratefully.

"It was an honor, Sir Auron." Barthello said, saluting him. Auron turned to Rikku then. "What about your beacon? Is it working?" He asked her.

"It sent the signal. Papa says he's coming, to pick us up here." She told them. They all looked down upon her in bafflement, as she sat sulkily on the ground.

"Come for us here? How?" Tidus asked. After a moment, they heard a humming sound in the sky, almost like a machina gliding on the wind. They looked up, and saw a white airship come floating gently down from the clouds, and it hovered above them. Thick tethers were lowered down from it then, and a manlift was descending to them.

"He's here!" Rikku exclaimed, but she didn't have the energy to get up. Once the manlift was on the ground, Auron and Barthello opened its cage doors and they all stepped inside. They were lifted up into the airship then, and it carried them away across the skies of Spira, over the western seas toward Bikanel Island.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Home Defense**

The companions were huddled together inside the steel manlift, and they felt it lift up from the ground and pull them higher and higher into the sky. While they stood close to each other, all in the same breath they sighed with relief. Lulu began tending to Auron's wounded arm, and he did not bother to protest or resist. Once the manlift took them to the loading bay of the airship, the doors were opened by a team of Al-Bhed pilots and mechanics. They beckoned the party out from the manlift and Rikku led them through the ship then, up to the pilot's command deck. She spoke to the others in Al-Bhed and they gave her directions, and a medic followed after them to tend to Auron once they had reached their destination.

They walked through the halls of the airship, up a flight of stairs and finally into the access hall to the control room. As they strode through the doors slid open for them, and they discovered a room with computers and control systems on either side, a large gleaming sphere in the center, and the pilot's control seats at the front, facing a wide glass viewing portal that gave them sight of the cloudy, storming sky outside. Inside this chamber there were two Al-Bhed men; one was younger, dressed in brown overalls, with a spiky blonde mohawk and tattoos covering his body. He was driving the airship. The other man was perhaps Auron's age or older, and dressed in a yellow and blue jumpsuit. He was short, and muscular, with a shaved head and a goatee. His dark brown eyes were fierce and full of passion. He turned toward them and came striding across the room, around the sphere and toward Rikku. He spoke to her in their native language, and then embraced her in his muscular arms for a brief moment. Then he released her and turned to his new guests.

"Welcome aboard the Fahrenheit, folks. It's the first airship to have flown the skies of Spira in a thousand years. Now… why are you here?" He asked them pointedly.

"Don't be so rude, Pops… they're friends of mine, and of Yuna." Rikku said to him sternly.

"Friends of Yuna, eh? You mean guardians? Well, I'm glad you're here, 'cuz I got a few things to say to ya!" He said haughtily.

"Who are you, anyway? Rikku's dad?" Tidus asked him.

"That's right, and Yuna's uncle. The name's Cid… I command the Al-Bhed and this airship. Now, no more questions out of you. Where's my niece?" He demanded.

"She's in Bevelle, with Maester Seymour. She's going to marry him!" Rikku told her father.

"What?! Like hell she is!" Cid roared.

"There's not much you can do about it, unless you want to declare war on Bevelle and all of Yevon. We came here with Rikku because we expect you to take us to Bikanel, and release the summoners you've captured. If you want to save Yuna's life, then let them finish their pilgrimage first." Auron said. Cid stepped up in front of Auron and glared hotly at him.

"Oh really? So I should just let them die then, so the rest of us can go on living without a care? And you think I'm going to bargain with you for the life of my own niece!?" Cid fumed at him.

"I think you Al-Bhed have a habit of making decisions for other people, and you have no right to do so." Auron replied firmly. Cid grabbed him by the collar then, and Auron seized his forearm tightly. Barthello stepped up then, and put his powerful hand upon Cid's shoulder, squeezing tightly. He looked down upon Cid with a stony gaze. Cid released Auron then and stepped back.

"Hey, can everybody just calm down please!" Rikku cried out then. "Instead of fighting with each other, we should be thinking of another way to defeat Sin! Surely there must be somehow, something that we haven't thought of before!" She urged them.

"And if there's not? You're not saving anyone by keeping the summoners from their duty… you're just sacrificing the people of Spira instead. If summoners do not defeat Sin quickly, then innocent bystanders will be hurt." Lulu argued. Cid looked down to the floor then.

"Well, I'm gonna try anyhow. But… you're right. Until we know what to do, the summoners are the best bet we've got. Fine then… I'll release them, and send you all back to Wilderia to finish the pilgrimage." Cid relinquished reluctantly. He walked to the front then and spoke to the pilot in Al-Bhed, and soon they began to soar forward through the clouds, and out into the blue skies, on the way to Bikanel Island.

Auron sat down in one of the seats in the control room and allowed the medic to bandage his wound while Lulu stood beside him and watched. Tidus strode over and glared down upon him. Auron looked up at him and spoke.

"You have something to say?" he asked expectantly.

"I still can't believe you would do this, old man. You never told me what would happen, and you brought me along anyway…" Tidus said darkly.

"So now that you know, what will you do?" Auron asked him.

"I still don't have a choice. I have nowhere else to go, but now… I have to save Yuna. But it's not like it will change anything… people will still die, and keep dying over and over again." Tidus said. He shook his head irritably.

"Maybe not… there's always a chance that this time it won't come back." Lulu said to him.

"But you've been saying that for the last thousand years, haven't you?" Tidus asked. Lulu nodded gloomily.

"Yes, that's right." Lulu admitted.

"So what do you think Yuna will do the next time Sin comes around? She'll go after it then, too." Tidus argued.

"Yes, she will." Lulu agreed.

"Then what are we doing? I don't understand any of this… what hope is there?" Tidus demanded fiercely.

"We're saving lives, that's what we're doing." Auron said with a low voice.

"By sacrificing others?" Tidus retorted.

"Yes. Some die, so others may live. If you don't have the heart for it, then depart. I'm going on with the mission, because it's my calling. You say there's nothing to hope for, but I know better. This will be the last time we face Sin, I've felt it, and Jecht feels it too; I know he does. If you can't do him the service of ending his misery, then I'll do it myself. Decide, and quit arguing. Go away until you've made up your mind." Auron said sternly, and he waved Tidus off with a gesture of his hand. Tidus groaned angrily, but he stormed out of the control room and went down the halls of the airship. Rikku followed after him. Barthello and Paine strode up to Auron next.

"Sir Auron, I'm inspired by your devotion to the cause… is it true then, about what Sir Jecht has become? Is he… part of Sin now?" Barthello asked him.

"It's true. He is Sin now." Auron replied. Lulu stood agasp then.

"What do you mean? How is that possible?" She asked in shock.

"You'll learn for yourself, when we reach Zanarkand. It comes from the magic of the Final Summoning. That's all I know." Auron said grimly.

"More secrets of Yevon that we were never told; where the hell will it end?" Paine said indignantly.

"This time, it ends at Zanarkand." Auron said with determination and a fiery gleam in his amber eye.

"Sir Auron, I may be of help to you before the end. I don't know what Dona may wish to do once she is released, but if she will join you, I will do whatever I can." Barthello volunteered. Auron nodded gratefully.

"Thank you. Time will tell. For now, rest and recover yourselves. We have no idea what may lie ahead now." Auron forewarned.

The companions were shown to resting quarters once they had been treated and fed, and they went to their chambers to recuperate from the battle and their narrow escape. Rikku went to Tidus' room to visit him.

"You seemed angry back there…" She said as she stepped cautiously across the room. Tidus laid on his bed seething quietly with rage. Rikku sat down on the bedside and looked down into his gaze.

"I can't believe all of this has been going on the whole time, and no one ever told me. I can't believe they were so willing to give up Yuna's life…" Tidus said sullenly.

"I know how you feel… that's why I tried to save her." Rikku said. Tidus sighed in frustration.

"I can't believe all the things I said on the pilgrimage. All of the places we saw, and I said we should come back together to visit them again. I never knew anything." Tidus lamented. Rikku placed a hand on his arm to comfort him.

"I know, it must be hard to realize this. Did you… have feelings for her?" Rikku asked him. Tidus hesitated for a moment in reflection.

"Maybe a little. I suppose I did; it was hard not to feel something for Yuna. She's a kind-hearted person. I definitely never wanted her to die…" Tidus admitted.

"I understand. That's how I feel. Will you help me to save her?" Rikku asked him.

"Yes… of course I will. I'll do whatever it takes. I don't want you to lose her either." Tidus said, and he sat up on the bed beside her.

"Thank you…" Rikku said sincerely. She smiled then and raised her hand. "Let's make a promise then: no matter what we'll stick together, and never give up!" Tidus grinned as he looked into her innocent green eyes, and he nodded and took hold of her delicate, feminine hand.

"I promise!" He said.

In the upper bay of the airship, Barthello was standing on the side walkway and staring out the windows upon the passing clouds and the ocean below. It was truly a majestic and thrilling sight for someone who had never been in an airship before. He heard the sound of boots treading toward him then, and when he turned to look behind him he saw Paine standing there, looking out the window as well. She turned her red gaze upon him then.

"It's incredible, isn't it?" Barthello asked her with a sense of awe in his voice.

"Sure…" Paine replied plainly. Barthello turned back to the window and stood in silence, until Paine spoke up again, "Where did you come from?"

"From an island in the north seas, called Cale-Albia. My people live there. We have little to do with Spira, and few people know of us. I came to Spira to seek adventure, fortune and fame, and to fight Sin of course." Barthello answered proudly, flexing his powerful body and standing tall. Paine smiled with a slight blush and quickly looked away. She strode up closer to the window then and gazed out upon the sky, and spoke to him.

"I've never seen such a powerful Aeon before. How did you summon it like that?" She asked.

"I only called for him, and he chose to answer." Barthello said plainly.

"Why would a Fayth come to someone who is not a summoner?" Paine asked him, utterly puzzled.

"In my home island, things are not as they are in the rest of Spira. We live under the view of Mount Eragal, and many other sacred places and shrines. All of the Cales give homage to our Valiant Dead, as we call them. We all learn to pray to them and sing their songs, invoke their names. It's a matter of the devotion of the one who calls them, and his destiny, if they should choose to answer or not." Barthello told her.

"So then, anyone can call on the power of your Fayth?" She asked in awe.

"Anyone who is true, yes, if the need is dire." Barthello affirmed.

"So then, you came to Spira to fight Sin with your Aeons? And does Dona know them?" Paine asked.

"Dona does not know them as I do; she has never been to my island, nor was she willing to go." Barthello replied.

"Why not?" Paine asked.

"It would be a long and perilous trip, for one thing… and she never believed me, for another." He said.

"Wasn't she close to you?" Paine asked.

"Not exactly… she would have been, but the customs of my people forbid intercourse out of wedlock." Barthello said. Paine glanced at him then in surprise.

"Really?! Hmm… I see." She said awkwardly. "So then how did you become her guardian?"

"I was in Bevelle, learning about Yevon and studying the resources from one of their libraries, and I met her there. She told me she would begin her pilgrimage soon and I volunteered to be her guardian. I admired her courage, but she is very passionate and very harsh on others, particularly when she doesn't get her way." Barthello admitted. Paine nodded in understanding.

"After she's released, will you continue the pilgrimage with her?" Paine asked.

"I will try to convince her to join Sir Auron and the others, but if she won't, then yes I must fulfill my oath as her guardian. My people never break our vows." Barthello said firmly.

"I see." Paine said impartially, and she left then and strode back down into the airship to return to her chamber.

In a few hours the airship was flying over Bikanel island, and it hovered closer to the center of the island where a huge machina outpost stood in the midst of tall dunes and drifting yellow sands. As they began to hover over the Al-Bhed city, suddenly an alarm started blaring in the control room, and the pilot began shouting to Cid in Al-Bhed. Auron stood up from his chair then, his arm was now fully bandaged and he had shed his long red coat. He walked across the control room to speak with Cid.

"What's going on?" He asked.

"Our Home is under attack by fiends! Happens every once in awhile, but this seems to be more intense. We're gonna touch down in the hangar, and then scatter to our battle stations! You should stay here." Cid said. Auron shook his head.

"We're fighters. If you've got trouble you should make use of us." Auron said to him. Cid shrugged and went to the side of the control room, to a gun rack near the side panel. He pulled out an assault carbine with a bayonet on it, and tossed it to Auron. The old warrior caught it and pulled the charging handle, sending the bolt forward and chambering a round. Auron and the companions soon gathered in the loading bay of the airship, and the pilot glided around the city and into a large tunnel on its side, leading into a subterranean hangar. Once they were docked within this tunnel, Cid led the way out into the hangar station and up the flights of metallic stairs through the machina city. Sirens were sounding throughout the Al-Bhed outpost, but so far the fighting was all contained to the outskirts of the city on the dunes nearby.

"Where are the summoners at?" Auron asked Cid as they jogged along.

"They're in the sanctuary, kept safe. They won't be harmed by the fighting." Cid answered him.

"They have Aeons that could be helpful in the battle." Auron said to him. Cid glanced to him and then looked ahead as they marched on through the halls.

"Rikku, take him to the summoner's sanctuary, then get up top. I'll call you from the command center on the loud speakers." Cid told his daughter. Rikku took the lead of the party then, and they broke off at the nearest corner and went down a different hall. Al-Bhed people were scattered intermittently throughout the city, some of them were armed soldiers on the way out to fight. Rikku led them to the sanctuary then, and opened the door to lead them into a large chamber with a common area, living quarters and a library attached to it. In the main room they saw Dona sitting in a cushioned chair, while Isaaru and his brothers were playing together on a sphere console. They all got up and turned to meet the newcomers. Barthello ran forward to Dona, but she would not embrace him. Isaaru came to greet Auron then.

"Sir Auron! I never expected to see you here… is Lady Yuna here also? How did they capture you?" He asked with concern.

"We're not captured. We came to release you. The Al-Bhed have agreed to let you go with us, but they're under attack and need our help to fend it off. Can you use your Aeons to fight on their behalf?" Auron asked him. Isaaru nodded.

"If they've agreed to let us go, then yes, I'll help them." He said. Auron beckoned with his hand for them all to follow him, and Rikku led them through the halls again and out into the main plaza of the Home settlement. The hot, dry desert air greeted them, along with strong winds and dusty sands. They could see the Al-Bhed soldiers fighting on the distant hill, just outside the city. Auron took up his carbine then and marched toward the outskirts, leading the companions with him. As they reached the sands of the outskirts, suddenly they saw a whole legion of fiends come pouring over the dunes. The fiends soon surrounded the Al-Bhed soldiers, and they were trapped.

"We have to free them! Fight through!" Auron shouted. He went into the midst of the fiends with his barrel blazing, and Barthello and Paine followed beside him. Tidus, Rikku and Lulu rushed in behind them, while Dona and Isaaru began summoning their Aeons, Ixion and Valefor. Barthello cleared through the fiends with his large spiked club, and Paine cut a swath through them with her sword. Auron rushed into the midst of the Al-Bhed soldiers and began shouting and waving his hand, motioning for them to retreat back to the city. The Al-Bhed soldiers got up from their trenches then and followed him, and they dashed out through the gap in the mass of fiends and ran for the city. Valefor and Ixion unleashed their powers upon the fiend horde, and decimated hundreds of them at once. The summoners then retreated along with the rest of their friends.

When they reached the city, Auron turned to look back over the dunes. He saw the cause of this blight of fiends; several dozen Guado conjurers came running over the hills then, and they stopped just out of range to open up black portals through which more fiends came pouring out.

"It's the Guado! We've been betrayed!" Auron shouted.

"Take your positions and open fire!" Paine said, taking command of the platoon of soldiers. They did as she ordered, and their assault rifles lit up in a blaze of bullets and smoke. Auron looked across the guard posts on the outskirts and soon he saw a turret with a 30 millimeter machine-gun standing on top of it. It had multiple rotating barrels and a pivoting tripod under it. Auron immediately ran to the turret and climbed up onto it, and dropped his carbine as he took hold of a chain of rounds. He opened the upper received of the machine-gun and slid the rounds into the feeder tray, then slammed it shut and pulled the charging handle. Then he aimed the machine-gun at the wave of approaching fiends and Guado, and he opened fire.

The roaring sound of the machine-gun broke the air and terrified everyone on the battlefield. The barrels were flashing and a scorching storm of bullets went tearing through the approaching enemies. Fiends were slaughtered on the way across the desert and pyreflies scattered everywhere. Platoons of Guado soldiers marched over the dunes next, but Auron poured fire onto them and they swiftly retreated back into the desert. Auron didn't stop the onslaught until his enemies were out of sight. The Al-Bhed soldiers cheered then, and Auron let the machine-gun barrels slow to a stop. He jumped down from the turret then and strode over to regroup with his companions.

"Are they gone now?" Tidus shouted as he stared at the horizon.

"I doubt they would give up so easily… but why would they attack the Al-Bhed?" Paine asked.

"To retrieve the summoners, perhaps?" Lulu speculated.

"No… they've wanted to do away with us for a long time, because we don't follow Yevon!" Rikku interjected.

"Pay attention! It's not over yet!" Barthello said, pointing his spiked club to the horizon. As they looked across the desert and the dry blue sky, suddenly they saw clusters of black-winged Zu birds flapping and soaring across the sky. Soon there was a whole cloud of them, floating over the city. Cid's voice came over the speakers then and called to the companions.

"Rikku, get your friend into the turret again, and then get to the other two! Bring down as many as you can! We'll get snipers in the towers as quickly as we can!" Cid said. Auron turned back to the turret that he had come from and ran back to man it. Rikku pulled Tidus by the arm and ran to the turrets further south on the outskirts of the city. They climbed up onto the nearest turret and Tidus helped Rikku load the machine-gun and charge it. As soon as it was ready she began spraying rounds at the masses of Zu's overhead. Dona summoned Valefor and sent her Aeon into the sky to fight the impending storm of fiends. Isaaru summoned Ixion, and the Aeon began sending bolts of lightning and spiralling wheels of energy through the air, striking down fiend-birds wherever possible. Assault rifles were firing from every window in the city towers, and the battle soon became an incredibly maelstrom.

After an hour, finally the flood began to subside, but Auron looked to the horizon and saw the Guado soldiers there again, summoning more fiends. He then realized what needed to be done. He jumped down from the turret and ran to find his companions. He gathered Barthello, Paine, Lulu, Rikku and Tidus.

"This attack is not going to stop until we take out the Guado!" Auron told them. "Gather up the soldiers and come with me. We have to fight through the fiends and crush the Guado completely!"

"Let's go!" Paine shouted, motioning for the soldiers to follow her, and then she led the way charging into the fray. Barthello began to dash after her, but Auron called him back.

"Come with me! We'll need some more firepower!" Auron said to him, and he ran back to the turret. Barthello detached the machine-gun from its tripod and Auron grabbed a large container of extra rounds, and then they went as fast as they could into the desert to follow the soldiers and their friends. Once they reached the nearest dune and crested over it, they saw the Guado conjurers below them. Auron handed rounds to Barthello and he began to fire, and the Guado began to die. Paine and her soldiers took their positions on the dune beside them, and fired in a line. Soon the Guado were overcome, and none were left alive. Auron and Barthello were out of rounds then, and the enemy was gone. They marched over to join Paine and the Al-Bhed soldiers, who all cheered and saluted them proudly.

"Is that the last of them?" Paine asked him.

"Seems to be. Look… they're scattering." Auron said, pointing to the city. The Zu birds were flying away, scattered to the winds. Ixion was still in the battle, but Valefor was not. They swiftly marched back to the city then, and began running through the central plaza to give aid and assistance to the wounded. Isaaru and his brothers came rushing to them, and his face was stricken with dismay.

"Sir Auron! It's Dona!" He shouted. Barthello immediately ran past him then to find her. The rest of the company followed Isaaru to the place where Dona lay on the ground, her body was limp. Barthello was kneeling beside her, and he lifted her up his arms, and grabbed her wrist to feel her pulse. He laid her back down, and sat on the ground with tears dampening his eyes. His mighty features were sullen and grave then. He said nothing. Maroda strode slowly toward him then.

"I'm sorry, Barthello. We were overrun. There was nothing I could do; I had to keep Pacce safe." He said. Isaaru stepped up beside him.

"I'll send her now, if you'll allow it, Barthello." He said softly. Barthello nodded, and he stood up and strode away without saying a word. Isaaru began the sending, and he sent many more people that day, but the Al-Bhed were lucky enough to save most of their people and their Home. Auron walked after Barthello and found him sitting dejectedly on a bench outside the plaza.

"I know you don't want to talk now, but if you want to join us, I'd be glad to have you. Think it over, and meet me later when you've decided." Auron said, and then he went back into the city and asked Rikku to take him to the command center. Rikku took Auron and Lulu there to meet Cid, who was currently giving orders for the treatment of the wounded and repair of the city.

"You know, I owe you a lot, Auron." Cid said to him with a grateful expression.

"You just owe us a ride back to Spira, when we're ready to go." Auron replied plainly. Cid nodded.

"Fair enough. But you know, if you're going to continue the pilgrimage and fight against Sin, I might be able to help you. There are still a few old temples hidden across Spira, that Yevon doesn't tell people about anymore. They're home to some powerful Aeons, and even some old priesthoods and orders of sages, who might know things that Yevon doesn't let the rest of the flock hear about." Cid suggested to him. Auron pondered this proposition, and then nodded.

"Perhaps so… and in that case, we'll definitely consider it. But we do have a time limit. We have to get to Zanarkand before Yuna does." Auron told him. Cid nodded in agreement.

"I can make sure that you do." He assured Auron. Auron and Lulu left the command center then, and went back on board the Fahrenheit to retire to their chambers. Lulu spoke to Auron in the hall before they parted.

"How is your arm? Does it still hurt?" She asked, looking at his bandages. Some blood had soaked through them again.

"It stings a bit when I move too fast." Auron admitted lowly.

"You should let me take a look, and put on fresh bandages." Lulu offered. Auron hesitated, but then he nodded slowly. They went into his room and Lulu got the medical supplies and then unwrapped his arm. She gently cleaned his wound and then carefully wrapped it up again. Auron let her do the task in silence, until she had finished.

"Thank you." He said softly.

"You're welcome, of course. Let me know if it gets worse." She said graciously.

"No… I meant thank you, for coming with me. I didn't expect everyone to follow through with this, after what happened at Macalania. I'm glad you chose to stay." Auron said. Lulu gazed upon him warmly and nodded with pleasure.

"I knew you would take the right path, and I would never want to stray from it. I'll help you however I can, Sir Auron. If it will save Yuna and Spira, then I won't give up. You should rest and recover, while you can. I don't want to lose you either, if I can avoid it." She said with a playful grin, and then she turned slowly and walked out of the chamber. Auron sighed and laid back on his bunk, propped up against his pillow. He reached for his jug of whiskey and took a long gulp.

"Jecht, Braska… your kids haven't made this one easy on me. I have grown old, and I'm starting to feel it. I hope the two of you aren't going to laugh at me for it, when it's all said and done." He said with a faint grin, and he took another sip of whiskey before he laid down and fell asleep.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: The Desert Temple**

Auron awoke from his slumber and heard a knock on the door to his room. He was sore, but he forced himself to roll off the bunk and go to the door. When he opened it he saw Barthello, Tidus, Rikku and Paine waiting outside in the hall.

"What's going on?" He asked them.

"Sir Auron, I've come to offer you my services, if you will have me. I already asked Isaaru, and he accepted my offer, but I knew I should speak with you as well." Barthello said. Auron nodded gladly and tapped his hand on the powerful man's shoulder.

"Of course, you're welcome to join us. Now, what about the rest of you?" He asked.

"I've made up my mind, to help Rikku save Yuna. That's our new mission now. We'll go with you until you reach Bevelle, and then we're going to get her back from Seymour." Tidus said solemnly.

"I see… very well then. I'm going to offer my services to Isaaru myself, and then we'll all speak with Cid in the command center. We'll depart in his airship soon." Auron said decisively. He reached to the side of his door and grabbed his long red coat, and pulled it on. Then he strode through the halls of the airship and out to the hangar, then into the city and toward the summoners sanctuary. He went inside to find Isaaru and Maroda in the main room. Pacce was in his own room, asleep. The two brothers had been talking, but they greeted Auron warmly.

"Sir Auron, it's an honor. Thank you for everything that you've done for us." Isaaru said with a bow. Auron bowed as well and then spoke.

"Lord Isaaru, I've come to offer my services to you as a guardian. If you will have me, I will see to it that you complete the pilgrimage and face Sin in due time." Auron said to him. Isaaru grinned and seemed taken aback by this offer. He quickly nodded in acceptance, however.

"Well, this has certainly been quite a day! I've had two offers from two very competent guardians, and it's not even noon yet!" Isaaru said gleefully.

"Make that three." Lulu said as she walked into the room and stepped beside Auron. Isaaru grinned even wider.

"Well then… I certainly cannot refuse such good company. Welcome to you both!" He said, and he bowed low before them. When he stood straight again he asked: "But please do tell me, whatever happened to Lady Yuna? I hope that nothing tragic has befallen her…"

"Only a marriage to Maester Seymour." Auron answered with a chuckle. "She's gone to Bevelle for the wedding. After that they're planning to continue her pilgrimage together, escorted by his own guards and Yevon soldiers. They were quite alarmed after all of you went missing. So… if you want to finish your pilgrimage before they do, we'll have to hurry."

"Why, that's such amazing news! Lady Yuna wed to Maester Seymour! I never could have imagined it. Her father would be proud, no doubt." Isaaru said in his typical good-natured tone. Auron merely nodded.

"Well then, if you're ready we should go speak with Cid in the command center. We should leave as soon as possible." Auron suggested. With that Maroda went to wake Pacce, and the three brothers went with Auron and Lulu to the command center, where they found the rest of their companions and Cid himself waiting for them.

"Glad you could join us. Well then, what's the plan folks?" Cid asked them.

"We're all going to Bevelle together, although for different reasons. Lord Isaaru and his guardians are ready to resume the pilgrimage." Auron answered.

"That's good, but I have a bit of information for ya, if you're interested." Cid began, and when Auron nodded he continued, "We've got reports and transmissions from our spies and scouts across Spira. Our people in Bevelle have overheard that the wedding between Seymour and Yuna will be held one month from now. They're making preparations for it to be held there in Bevelle."

"Why would they wait so long? I thought they would be eager to continue the pilgrimage?" Paine asked in bewilderment. Cid shrugged his shoulders.

"For political reasons I'm sure. The reports say he's promoting the event all across the mainland. Apparently he wants it to be quite a show. Regardless, that gives you folks some time, and much needed I think. Before you go back to the mainland, I think you should let me take you to the old temple in Sanubia Desert, right here on Bikanel. There's a powerful Fayth there, and a priesthood of warrior monks who defend it. They're a splintered off sect of Yevon, and they study a lot of esoteric knowledge. They could help you, I think." Cid suggested. Auron held his chin in his fingers and contemplated this idea.

"I suppose we should. Isaaru, what do you prefer to do?" He asked the young summoner.

"It sounds like a good opportunity for me to hone my skills and acquire another Aeon to fight Sin. With the airship we could be there very quickly, so it's not such a delay after all." Isaaru reasoned aloud. Auron nodded and turned back to Cid.

"Very well then. Take us there, we're ready to go whenever you are." Auron said. Cid called for his son to come with him, and beckoned for all of them to follow him. The company boarded the airship. Within half an hour they had departed from the Al-Bhed city and were on the way further into the middle of Bikanel, to find the desert temple of Sanubia. They were flying for less than an hour before they came to a large desert oasis, which was a large round lake shaped almost like an eye, filled with shallow blue water over fine white sands, and surrounded by sparse palm trees. A rocky range of hills and small stone mountains was nearby the oasis, and just beyond the palm trees stood a large temple with magnificent domes and arches, and majestic patterns and decorations. It was painted orange, red and white, and statues of Yevon saints stood around a fountain on the marble plaza in front of it.

The airship hovered nearby the oasis and Auron led the company down to the loading bay, where they entered the manlift and prepared to descend to the desert below. Auron, Lulu and Barthello stood in the manlift, Isaaru and his brothers joined them, while Tidus, Rikku and Paine stood in the bay facing them. Auron looked upon Tidus.

"You coming along, or not? Auron asked him. Tidus shook his head.

"No. Not unless you get into trouble. We'll be waiting until you're done, so we can get to Bevelle." Tidus said, as if impatient. Auron nodded in acceptance and said no more to him. They closed the doors to the manlift and it went down out of the bay and into the desert air, and soon dropped them with a slight metallic thud on the sands below. Barthello pushed open the doors and they walked out across the dry sands, yet they smelt the sweet scent of the oasis waters and could feel moisture on the breeze drifting by, as if the kiss of sylphs touched them in the wind. Auron led the way toward the marble plaza and they walked across it, watching the impressive waters shooting from the fountain at its center. All of the statues of the saints were very old; there were none among them whom Auron or the others could recognize, apart from Lord Mi'ihen. When they approached the tall archway which led into the courtyard before the temple doors, they beheld the sight of the doors opening and several monks in blue and white robes walking out to greet them.

These monks were elderly men, but a few younger warriors came walking out as well, all of them armed with katanas or scimitars. Two of the old monks in particular stepped forward and bowed to Auron and Isaaru. They both had long white beards, one of them had a shaven head, the other had long white hair tied behind his back. Once they had bowed the bald-headed man spoke in a raspy old voice.

"Welcome to Sanubia Temple. My name is Morihei, and my colleague here is called Musashi. We are the master trainers, high priests and curators of the shrines here at the temple…" He introduced himself and his companion, then he questioned them, "I assume you are here on pilgrimage? Or are you more Al-Bhed explorers?"

"I am Isaaru, a summoner from Bevelle, and these are my guardians. We are pilgrims, here to study and to obtain the Fayth of the temple if we may." Isaaru answered him, and he bowed respectfully. The old sage smiled contentedly.

"Excellent! We have not had summoners come to our temple in several decades now. Indeed, Yevon has paid us no heed for some time. I am pleased to see that they are less stubborn these days. Welcome, and please come into our hall. We shall see that you are fed and provided for, and you may enter the cloister of trials at any time. We will answer any questions that we may." Morihei offered to them.

"Thank you, Lord Morihei. I appreciate your generosity. We shall be polite guests." He said, glancing to both of his brothers. Maroda nodded and he pushed Pacce forward by his shoulder. The two priests led them through the courtyard, which contained a dazzling garden full of flowering vines, fruiting bushes and well-pruned trees. They walked on the stone pathway between the green and lush lawns of the courtyard and its gardens, and into the temple itself. The temple was cool and dark, and lit by colored lanterns, torches and many candles glimmering on the altars of the saints.

"What sort of Fayth is it that rests in this temple?" Isaaru asked.

"He is called Dogoda, a sylph spirit, with powers over wind and sky. He is a very mighty Aeon." Musashi said.

"We can show you our libraries, if you are interested. You should tell me what it is that you are interested in studying, young summoner." Morihei said to Isaaru. Auron spoke up and interjected then.

"He should go to the cloister of trials first, with his brothers and with Barthello. If I may, I would like to see the libraries with you, Lord Morihei." Auron said. The old sage nodded.

"Very well then. The stairway to the cloister entrance is directly ahead. Our library is down the hallway to the right. Come with me, Sir." Morihei invited him, and both he and Musashi escorted Auron and Lulu while the warrior monks escorted the rest to the cloister entrance. Auron walked with them down the stone hallway and its ornate marble floor, and between the arches and intricate pillars on its sides.

"What is your name, guardian?" Musashi asked Auron, speaking for the first time. His voice was deep, and aged, and full of wizened resonance.

"My name is Auron." He answered. The two sages looked upon him with bright eyes then.

"Ahh! Sir Auron, the old companion of Lord Braska! We had heard of you, only briefly, but of course it is still an honor to have you here. We do not communicate much with the outside world; we only send a few of our monks out in disguise from time to time, and they bring us reports. Each time Sin is defeated and later reappears, we gather records of it." Morihei informed him.

"Really? And what did you hear about the last pilgrimage?" Auron asked them.

"Some very peculiar rumors… about a man who claimed to have come from Zanarkand, and he chose to become the Final Fayth for Lord Braska… we heard of you too, of course. Rumor has it that you were gravely injured in Zanarkand, and you disappeared afterwards. I'm sure you could tell us much about yourself, if we had the time. But I can sense that you don't. Now then, what is it you came here to learn, Sir Auron?" Morihei asked him.

"I want to know everything that you can tell me about the Final Fayth, the Final Summoning, and the rebirth of Sin." Auron said up front. Both sages stopped and gazed upon him then. They seemed to have a knowing twinkle in their eyes.

"Indeed… we shall share with you everything that we know." Morihei acquiesced, and he led them on then. They came into the marvelous library of the Sanubia Temple, which was a large room with a high ceiling and many tall shelves and book cases on each wall, and in dozens of aisles down the length of it. Desks for study were situated at the front of the library and it was lit up by bright golden lantern light. Scrolls, books and tomes, manuscripts of all kinds filled the shelves. Musashi walked ahead of them then, as he seemed to know his way directly to what they were seeking.

"Oh, dear… this is an amazing place!" Lulu remarked in wonderment. Auron stood beside her and peered around the library.

"I've never seen a place like this anywhere in the rest of Spira… not even in Bevelle." Auron commented.

"Many of these books are ancient, from the early days of Yevon and even prior. Many of them were taken from Bevelle and hidden here. Indeed, we know much that the rest of Yevon has forgotten." Morihei told them. After a few moments, Musashi returned carrying a broad tome, and he brought it to a large oaken desk nearby and sat it down under a lamp, which he turned up gradually. He then pryed open the old book and looked through the table of contents. He then opened it to a scene of Sin embattled on the Calm Lands, on the day that the great rift had been cut between the plains and the range of Mount Gagazet. Auron and Lulu gazed upon the amazing detail in awe, but he then turned a few pages back and found a depiction of Lady Yunalesca and Lord Zaon. In the background behind them was a wizard in red robes, plotting just round the corner. Musashi spoke then.

"You see, in the beginning Yunalesca and Zaon were impassioned lovers, and they sought to restore an age of peace to Spira, and thereupon rule it from Zanarkand. Their court wizard was Yu Yevon… they consulted him on all matters esoteric and divine. He offered them a way to enlighten the people, and thus conquer their sins and ignorance. But it was a deception. Yu Yevon was an interloper in the courts of all the great cities of Spira during their age. He secretly spread misinformation and fomented a war between Bevelle and Zanarkand. He knew that such a war would shatter the order of the world and wreak mass havoc, enough chaos to unravel the fabric of the universe itself. He believed that from this dissolution, he could channel enough power into himself to become a demigod, and live forever. He was partly correct. He opened a celestial portal over Zanarkand the night that it was desolated by Bevelle's machina. He ascended to the portal, which had created a bridge between the cosmos and the earth. The mass of pyreflies, the thoughts and spirits and emotions of all the dead, were drawn into this portal, and Yu Yevon hoped to enter it and absorb all of the energy and knowledge from the collected spirits.

"But it was not to be. Instead, out of the portal came the seedling of Sin, and it enveloped Yu Yevon, and pulled him into the portal. In that other realm he was driven mad, and his mind eroded. Then he began to channel the energy and summon Sin itself, which came through the portal and was born unto the world. That was where all our misery began. Yu Yevon is still alive, but he has no consciousness of what he does or why he exists. He lives on, only to summon Sin and all its spawn." Musashi said to them, reading passages and translating them for the others.

"Wait… we were never told anything about Yu Yevon by the teachings! Why would they not mention him?" Lulu demanded, and she was becoming visibly uncomfortable. Musashi raised a single weathered finger to his lips to silence her, and then he continued. He turned the page to that of Yunalesca and Zaon again, and began translating and summing it up for them.

"Yunalesca and Zaon, having escaped Zanarkand prior to the attack and survived, then witnessed the destructive powers of Sin as it rampaged across Spira, destroying the old civilization and all of its cities save for Bevelle and some parts of Luca. They saw millions of people murdered across Spira by the pitiless onslaught of Sin. In their despair and desperation, they conceived a powerful magic together. Yunalesca was a wise sorceress and knew much of the arcane secrets of magic and the powers of the universe. She was able to use her powers to transmute her lover, Zaon, into a mighty Fayth, which housed a powerful Aeon. Others who volunteered for the cause, she also transformed into the Fayth. Using their souls, which had been forged by spiritual alchemy into tremendously powerful Aeons, she then summoned them for a climactic battle with Sin. Zaon was her Final Summoning, who defeated Sin and then slew his lover in his berserk fury, and he fell in despair while Yu Yevon emerged from the carcass of Sin and attached himself to Zaon, thus leeching his power to create the next Sin.

"Yunalesca was dead, but with her knowledge of the occult and of the Farplane, and her consciousness of her own death, she was able to return as an unsent and bestow her teachings upon the people of Spira. She taught them the summoning arts that she had learned from Yu Yevon himself, and the spiritual principles established by his attempt at godhood. Thus these teachings came to be known as Yevon. The spiritual bond between a guardian and summoner, transmuted into divine magic, imbues the soul of the Final Fayth with divine powers, and renders them beyond the mortal realm, thus capable of challenging the scourge of Sin. However, they have not attained enlightenment, and so they are inevitably ensnared by their bonds of love and the chains of loss, and so they sink in despair, dragged down by Sin. Thus they become Sin again and again." Musashi read to them. On this note he stopped, and turned to face Auron and Lulu.

"Do you understand now, why the cycle repeats over and over?" Morihei asked them. Auron nodded solemnly.

"Yes… it feeds on powerful spiritual bonds and emotions. It is sustained by the fundamentals of magic itself." Lulu answered him insightfully.

"So you see, this is why the cycle has repeated itself over and over for a thousand years. Guardians and Summoners share such a powerful bond, one that is necessary to obtain the Final Fayth. But once the Final Summoning is completed, the strength of their bond is what disfigures them into the next Sin." Morihei explained to them.

"How do we break the cycle, then?" Auron asked him pointedly.

"Only a truly enlightened and fulfilled person can overcome the dark powers of the Final Summoning, and escape Yu Yevon's parasitical grasp." Musashi said to him.

"How do we find someone who is fully enlightened, to become a guardian?" Lulu asked him.

"It would not be likely to happen. An enlightened person is free of attachment, thus the bonds of love and loss cannot burden them. They accept love as a blossoming flower, and accept it when it withers and dies, and do not wish for it to be otherwise." Morihei said.

"So then… if they cannot be made to despair, then they cannot achieve the necessary bond." Auron surmised. Musashi and Morihei both nodded.

"Now you understand the inevitable fall of man into sin, and why the cycle repeats." Morihei concluded. Auron shook his head in disdain.

"Is there no way to stop it? No way at all?" He asked demandingly.

"The only way would be for one to achieve enlightenment while on the pilgrimage, and with a deep understanding between them and their summoner. Both of them would have to become enlightened." Morihei suggested.

"How can a person become so enlightened?" Lulu asked.

"There are two paths to enlightenment… one is through transcendence, the other is through experience. The first is lost to us now. Only those who have reached the Farplane have grasped it. But of course, they could only return as Unsent, and therefore they could not become Aeons. The second is available to anyone, but none of us know exactly what realizations can achieve it. It would require much contemplation, a thorough journey, and the right insights, plus a very noble soul and conscientious mind." Morihei surmised.

"How can we find all those things in a guardian? And with so little time left…" Lulu asked with a sigh of despair.

"Is it possible for us to accomplish?" Auron asked them with utmost seriousness. Morihei hesitated, but finally he spoke.

"It could be done, with great strength of character, piety, devotion and sacrifice. Perhaps it is not in mortal men to do it by themselves, but with firm belief and the help of a divinity or guardian spirit… who knows? Perhaps." Morihei said. Auron looked away into the shadows of the library then, and did not speak for a long moment.

"What about Yu Yevon? He's the source of all of this, isn't he? Can he be killed? Is there any way to separate him from Sin, and make him vulnerable?" Auron asked. The two old sages looked at him with animated expressions, as if he had lit up their imagination.

"He dwells within the center of Sin… and he is attached to the spirit of the last Aeon to defeat him. There are very old and arcane books on that subject, here in our library. They speak of a guardian named Ryu and his comrade Kenji. They were the best of friends, childhood friends, who grew up together in Kilika. Ryu had become a guardian and went off on pilgrimage, while Kenji joined the Crusaders. Ryu was eventually chosen to become the Final Fayth, at the end of his pilgrimage. Ten years later, after the Calm had ended, Kenji was fighting against Sin, trying to protect Luca. During the battle, Sin suddenly began to act very strange. It hovered in the sky above Luca, and Kenji was seen in the shallows nearby, talking with Ryu himself! They were alone on the beach until suddenly Ryu disappeared again, and Sin immediately departed from Luca." Musashi told them. Auron thought on his words for a moment, and suddenly a spark of realization came to him.

"Are you saying that… Ryu's spirit was separated from Sin, to meet his old friend? This left Sin incapacitated?" Auron asked.

"It would seem so, if the story can be believed." Morihei answered. Auron thought of Jecht then, and he wondered involuntarily, what he would say to him if they ever met again. He had been thinking on it for a long time.

"It was the strength of their friendship, the power of their emotions and memories, his thoughts of his old friend that pulled him free of Sin and brought him down to meet Kenji once more. Kindred spirits are drawn together." Musashi said.

"I see…" Auron replied softly.

"Was there more that you needed to know, Sir Auron?" Morihei asked him. Auron turned his eye upon the old sages then.

"If I was to face him again, I would have to be ready. Sir Jecht was an expert swordsman, and a powerful warrior." Auron said to them.

"You have the reputation of a great swordsman yourself." Musashi said to him.

"But I'm crippled, and old." Auron replied. Morihei scoffed indignantly.

"Age has nothing to do with it. As for your old wounds, well… we have ways to overcome them. You are welcome to stay here in our temple, and we shall train you. If you have the will, I can show you a power that would overcome your limitations." Morihei offered to him. Auron nodded.

"I should return to the others and consult with them. If they will allow it, then we will stay for a few days, but we have very little time." Auron answered, and then he walked back down the hall with Lulu following him, to the main chamber. They found that Barthello, Isaaru and his brothers had returned from the cloister.

"I did it, Sir Auron. I have the Aeon Dogoda!" Isaaru told him cheerfully.

"That's good news. We have to go back to the airship and let them know what we plan to do next. I know you're eager to continue your pilgrimage, but I have something to ask of you." Auron said to him.

"What is it, Sir Auron?" Isaaru asked curiously.

"I feel that I should train here in this temple, with these sages." Auron said. Isaaru hesitated for a moment as he thought on it.

"You're already a legendary guardian, Sir Auron… do you think you still have much to learn? I admire your dedication, but we should finish the pilgrimage as soon as we can. Many people are counting on us and waiting eagerly… but I know I don't have to tell you that." Isaaru said self-consciously.

"Yes, I know that, but this is important. We should discuss it with the others aboard the ship, and make our decision there." Auron advised him.

"Very well then. Let us return to them." Isaaru agreed. They all left the temple then, and walked across the marble plaza around the fountain, and onto the sands on their way back to the oasis. They could see that the airship had touched down on the other side of the oasis, just outside of the palm trees. They went striding into the palms and along the shore of the oasis and its clear blue waters. Suddenly they saw Tidus, Rikku and Paine in the water, swimming and diving around. Tidus had shed his shirt; Rikku and Paine were wearing bikinis. Paine dove into the waters once she saw them, and swam swiftly under the surface. Her sleek, lithe body glided easily toward them and then she surfaced in the shallows and stood up, taking in a breath of air. She looked at Barthello and called to him.

"The water's nice. You should try it." She said to him, and then she dove back under and swam to her friends as they drifted near the shore, beside where the Fahrenheit had landed. Auron led his company to the ship, and he stood by the shore, speaking to Tidus.

"You should all come inside with us. We need to make a decision that you're going to want to contribute to." Auron said to him. Tidus nodded and stood up out of the water. He picked Rikku up in his arms and she squealed with delight, as he flung her over his shoulder and carried her across the sands to the airship's open bay. Paine stayed in the water, and after the others had gone inside, Barthello walked over to the shore and shed his harness and armored belt, then pulled off his boots and bracers and stepped into the waters. Once he was far enough into the oasis, he swam over to join Paine.

"You're right. This is great!" He said with a smile as he dove under the water and then surfaced again.

"Told you." Paine said with a faint grin, and she drifted around him in a circle. "So how did the trials go?" She asked him.

"It wasn't so bad. We made it through and Isaaru didn't take long to obtain the Aeon. He's skilled for sure." Barthello said.

"Yeah. So what's Auron planning? Do you think he'll split up the group at Bevelle?" Paine asked him.

"Maybe, but for now I think he wants to stay here at the temple for a few days, to train with the monks." Barthello informed her. Paine tilted her head with a curious expression on her pale face.

"Why would he do that?" She asked.

"I'm not sure… we should probably be inside with them, actually. He'll be upset with me if I'm not there with Isaaru." Barthello said. Paine nodded, and she dunked under the water once more and then emerged, and her short dark hair and two braids fell over her face, until she swept them back and began walking toward the shore. Barthello went with her, and they walked into the airship and toward the control room. When they entered they found Auron and Cid facing each other, and Isaaru and his brothers stood beside them. Tidus and Rikku were sitting on a bench together. Paine walked over to the bench and slid in between the two of them. Barthello stood beside Lulu, who waited on the other side of the control room, listening to their discussion.

"We do need to move quickly, Sir Auron. I don't want to leave the world waiting on us, and with Lady Yuna postponing her pilgrimage for the wedding, we are the only remaining pilgrims still active at the moment." Isaaru said, with gentle insistence.

"I understand that, but you should speak with the sages in the temple. They told me something that I cannot ignore." Auron said.

"What are ya talking about, Auron?" Cid asked.

"There may be a way to defeat Sin, forever." Auron answered him. Everyone gaped at him wide-eyed.

"How?" Isaaru asked eagerly.

"The sages will tell you… it's difficult to explain. But in order to do it, I need to be prepared for a hard fight. I have to be able to win." Auron said.

"I must speak with them at once then…" Isaaru said, and he began walking out of the chamber.

"I'll tell you this; be ready for your misconceptions to be broken. Keep your mind clear and open. It will be difficult to grasp at first, but we have to take the chance. All of Spira is in our hands now." Auron said to him before he could leave. Isaaru turned to Auron with a bewildered and compassionate expression. He simply nodded in acceptance, and then went on with his brothers to return to the temple. Barthello dutifully bowed his head to Auron and then went with the brothers. Tidus quickly stood up then and stepped in front of Auron.

"How can you defeat Sin for good? What did they tell you?" He asked him.

"I'll have to face your father… and defeat him. Then the rest of Sin will be vulnerable. That is when the rest of you must attack. But I'm not ready to face Jecht, not yet. He was a peerless swordsman, and I have to be prepared." Auron revealed.

"Wait a minute! How can you actually meet Jecht?" Tidus demanded.

"It'll take awhile to explain, and I'd rather not do it here. Come with me." Auron beckoned him. Auron walked out of the control room then and down the halls of the Fahrenheit. Tidus came jogging after him.

"Hey! What you said back there… how is it possible?" Tidus asked him again.

"The sages told me that Jecht is still alive in Sin, and he can sense those he was close to in life. If a person has a strong enough emotional bond with him, they can pull his spirit out of Sin, using their memories of him." Auron told him. Tidus was taken aback with shock and dismay.

"But, wait… why didn't he come out when I first saw him?" Tidus asked.

"Perhaps because you weren't aware, and couldn't focus on him. Or perhaps because you were too young, and he parted from you long ago… or, it could be that your resentment and anger toward him has clouded your memories, and so your bond with him is weakened. I don't know, and in fact I don't know if the sages' story was true, but I have a feeling somehow it will work and I have to try." Auron surmised determinedly.

"If it does work… then you'll see him one last time? After he's defeated, what happens to him then?" Tidus asked anxiously.

"He will die, and Sin will be lifeless then. You will have to strike at the heart of Sin before it can latch onto something new. The heart of Sin is Yu Yevon." Auron told him.

"Yu Yevon?" Tidus asked, bewildered.

"He was a human sorcerer once. What he is now, I don't know, but he is the source of Sin's reincarnation. He attaches to the Final Fayth and uses its power to summon the body of the next Sin, which the Final Fayth inhabits, as its life force. When he is drawn to the next Final Aeon, you must be sure that he cannot attach to it. You must kill him however you can." Auron said grimly.

"This is all so… strange. I have to think about it." Tidus said woefully.

"Take plenty of rest, and think it over. I understand you want to go after Yuna. Do whatever your conscience dictates… but I must stay here and prepare for the duel with Jecht and the last battle with Sin." Auron decided. Tidus nodded solemnly.

"Alright. If you see my old man again…" Tidus began, but then he stopped. Auron raised a brow inquisitively.

"Yes?" He asked. Tidus shook his head then.

"Forget it. I'm going to my room." Tidus said, and then he turned and walked away. Auron shrugged, and walked down the hall to leave the airship. Auron went back around the oasis and to the temple, where he met with Morihei and Musashi again. The two old sages sat on the white stone rim around the water fountain, waiting for him with Barthello, Isaaru and his brothers standing nearby.

"So you know the truth now, Isaaru?" Auron said to the young summoner. Isaaru nodded with a grim look on his face, uncharacteristic for him and his usual affable grin.

"I do, Sir Auron. It seems there was a lot that Yevon never told us… but I've seen the records for myself now. I feel… that I should take time to study and think over this." Isaaru said.

"Fair enough. I need the extra time myself." Auron said. Musashi stood up from the side of the fountain and stepped to him then.

"So, we shall begin your training then?" He asked.

"Yes. We'll have a week, perhaps, then we should move on. I need to be faster, and able to defend and hold a strong guard." Auron said.

"I see… you have no sword?" Musashi asked him. Auron shook his head.

"I use a big katana." Auron told him.

"Perhaps a smaller one would do…" Musashi suggested. Auron shook his head.

"Can't be too small… I still need plenty of power." Auron said. Musashi nodded in contentment.

"Ahh… two swords then. A Daito and a Wakizashi, perhaps…" He suggested.

"Show me what you've got." Auron said. Musashi beckoned for him to follow, and Morihei stood up as well. The two sages led him into the temple grounds and around toward a backyard training arena. There was an armory beside the back wall of the temple. They took him in through the stone arched door, lit up several lanterns and opened two of the side windows. There were racks of swords lining all the walls, and several isles of them in the middle of the room.

"With these tools, we shall begin your training, Sir Auron." Musashi said with a grin.

"But there is more for you to learn than mere steel can teach you. You must begin the diet of our training monks immediately, and pray with them every morning and every night as well. For the first three days we shall train you here in the arena, and the next three days shall be in the mountain retreat." Morihei told him. Auron nodded in acceptance.

"Very well. Let's waste no time." Auron said.

Back aboard the airship, Tidus was sitting silently in his chamber, on a cushioned chair against the wall near the foot of his bed. He had his elbow on the arm of the chair and his chin rested in his palm, contemplating his situation and his choices. He felt angered with Auron, but he knew he had no real right or reason to be. He felt regret, and sorrow for Auron and Jecht as well. He felt sorrow for Yuna. Soon he began to feel sorry for himself, realizing that soon Jecht and Auron would engage in a death battle, and he may not see it himself. He had to rescue Yuna, since he felt that Seymour and the Guado were up to ill-deeds and planned to use her for nefarious purposes. He also had to defeat Sin before she could, to save her from the sacrifice of Yevon's Final Summoning. He knew he had to do these things, but what would result from them and where he would go afterward, he had no idea.

Soon he heard the flapping of sandals outside his chamber, walking down the hall. Then he heard a light knock on his door, and it opened up to reveal Rikku. She stepped into his room then, greeting him with a friendly smile. She was still wearing her green shorts and an orange bikini, apart from which her arms and legs and lean midriff were bare. She walked over and sat on his bed, and slipped off her sandals.

"What are you thinking about?" She asked as she gazed upon him curiously.

"It doesn't matter… just a lot of crap I can't do much about now." He said irritably.

"It's not so bad, is it? We'll save Yuna, don't worry about that. As for Sin, I know you're not used to it, but the rest of us have learned to live while we can, and not regret it." Rikku coaxed him gently.

"Really? Well I wish I could stop thinking about it, but it's all still new to me. I can't imagine living in Spira, knowing that Sin is around and will keep coming back no matter what." Tidus said gloomily.

"Yeah, but now we don't have to worry about that, right? That's what Auron said…" Rikku reminded him.

"Yeah, if it's even true. Even if it is, he still has to face my old man, Jecht." Tidus said. Rikku got up and walked cautiously over beside him and leaned down with an apologetic expression.

"I'm sorry… I didn't mean to be uncaring, about your dad… I know it must be hard. I'm sorry that it turned out this way." Rikku said softly. Tidus shook his head and sat back in his chair.

"It's alright Rikku. None of this is your fault, and there's no need to feel sorry for my old man. Jecht made his own choices, and he can handle it." Tidus said dismissively. Rikku put her hand on his bare shoulder.

"Still, I don't want you to be sad about it. We should do something to cheer you up! You want to go hang out in the oasis?" She asked invitingly. Tidus shook his head.

"Nah… I'd rather stay inside for now." He said. Rikku shrugged and sat on the broad cushioned arm of his chair, looking down at him with a mischievous grin.

"Oh really? Stay inside and do what? Play some games? Watch some sphere-links?" She asked him suggestively. Tidus gave her a puzzled look.

"Huh? What's a sphere-link?" He asked.

"You know the terminals at all of the Al-Bhed travel agencies? They're all connected to a signal station, but most of them only get access to the information archives. Here on Bikanel we should be able to get some channels from the Home broadcast network. Let's see what's on!" She said excitedly, and she got up and stepped over to the short cabinet in front of his chair, and opened it to reveal a thin screen inside. She took it out and set it up on top of the cabinet. She took a remote from the cabinet as well and turned on the screen, and began cycling through the options on it. It was all in Al-Bhed of course. When she found the link she wanted, she pressed it and soon a video appeared on the screen. It was somewhat hazy, with a bluish color tinting the picture, but otherwise it was fairly clear with only the occasional static in the signal. It was recorded in the machina city of the Al-Bhed Home. The people in the recording were all young, good-looking Al-Bhed teenagers. Rikku said something in her native language, with enthusiasm. She then quickly sat back down on the arm of the chair.

"What is this?" Tidus asked.

"It's a drama show, about life at Home. All the girls I know love to watch it!" She said.

"Oh brother…" Tidus said with a grin. Rikku pushed his chest playfully. Tidus grabbed hold of her legs then and pulled her down onto his lap, and she laughed excitedly. Rikku pecked the side of his face with a soft kiss then, and immediately turned away. Tidus wrapped her securely in his arms then, and held her close. Rikku pretended to be watching the screen, until he began stroking her waist and inner thighs with his fingers. Rikku turned to him with her eyes big and bright, and doe-like. Her lips trembled faintly in anticipation. Tidus took hold of her neck and the side of her face then with a firm hand, and kissed her heavily but quickly, smacking lips with her vigorously. Rikku's face seemed thunderstruck then and she blushed deeply as she gazed upon him dreamily. Tidus grinned confidently upon her innocent face. He could feel her shaking in his lap, and saw her chest heaving with quick breaths, he even felt and almost heard her heart beating. It occurred to him then that she was overwhelmed, and so he chose to dial back his advances a bit, and wrapped his arms around her midriff and hugged her back against his chest, and turned to face the screen. Every few minutes or so, he kissed her cheek. Her skin was hot, almost feverish. After a short time, she turned back to face him and shifted to sit sideways in his lap, and she placed her hand on his chest and his abdominal muscles.

"I think… I love you." She said softly, stammering slightly. Tidus smiled faintly, as he saw the light in her green eyes.

"I think I love you." He replied warmly, and he wrapped her in his arms and hugged her firmly, while she rested her face upon his shoulder and chest.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: Light of the Fayth**

On Bikanel Island, at Sanubia Temple, Auron and his companions had been training for the past three days under the strict guidance and keen oversight of the two old sages, Morihei and Musashi. Auron was given two practice katanas; a daito and a wakizashi. Musashi in particular, trained him with expert finesse in the use of these two weapons and after much rigorous repetition and sparring, Auron had grasped the key lessons and forms, stances and parrying, attacks, and so forth. He had learned much in those few days, even as an experienced swordsman himself. He had also been spending each morning and night at prayer with the rest of the monks and sages, and he had never felt such a deep spiritual transcendence before, from any of the other Yevon temples. He was immediately taught a new meditation technique when he began his training, and now after three days into it he began to sense a change coming over him. He was nearing the source of some powerful illuminatory magic.

On the fourth day, Morihei and Musashi met him in the arena, but no other monks had come to spar with him. They both faced him with contented grins under their white mustaches.

"You have done well thus far, Sir Auron, but now we shall begin the second phase of your initiation into our school. You begin fasting today, and for the next three days you shall be kept in closed meditation within our inner cloister. On the third night you will go up into the mountains alone, to the top of Khaibar peak." Morihei said, and he pointed his wrinkled old finger up to the tallest of the three nearby mountaintops.

"I understand." Auron replied.

"You will use the meditation technique we have taught you, to commune with the Aeons and with the Farplane itself. When you ascend the mountain, you shall find a fountain and a single shrine at the summit. Take ablutions there, then pray to the Fayth of the shrine, and meditate there until something happens." Morihei instructed him.

"Until 'something' happens?" Auron asked them curiously.

"When it happens, you'll know it." Musashi assured him. Auron nodded in acquiescence, and he followed them into the cloister within the depths of the labyrinth under the temple. He was taken to a damp, dank dungeon there, and the exit was sealed. It was dim and dark within, the only light emanated from faint lanterns hanging from the ceiling. A canal ran gently through the middle of the dungeon, flowing into some subterranean river. Clean water was pouring into it from a fountain on the wall beside the canal. Auron found a corner room in the dungeon where a bedroll and cushions had been laid out for him. He went there, shed his coat and sat down to meditate. In the darkness, amid the faint sound of water and droplets from the stone ceiling, he soon withdrew into the recesses of his mind, under a deep meditative state.

On the oasis above, Rikku and Tidus swam and played and flirted with each other in the pure blue waters. Some of the Al-Bhed crew from the airship were also playing blitzball in the oasis. Tidus and Rikku eventually joined them for a game. Paine sat on the beach, in the fine white sands, under the shade of the palm trees. She laid on a bed of smooth, large green leaves from the palm trees. She was clad in a dark blue bikini, barefoot and laying on her back with her legs crossed. She sat watching the others for a while, and then laid back and gazed up at the blue sky and the clouds drifting overhead, and the palm leaves shifting in the breeze. Soon she heard Isaaru and his brothers returning from the temple. Maroda and Pacce dashed into the water to join the others, while Isaaru laughed. He and Barthello began walking down the beach on the way to the airship. Isaaru passed her quietly, but when Barthello walked by she spoke up.

"Are you all done training for the day? Where is Auron?" She asked him. Barthello stopped and gazed down upon her with his mighty arms crossed over his chest.

"Sir Auron has entered the cloister to meditate for three days. After that, his training will be complete, so they say." Barthello told her. Paine sat up then to speak with him.

"Are we still allowed to train in the arena for the next few days? I should keep working on my skills with throwing knives." Paine asked him.

"Yes, we are. I plan on going there every day, myself. We could train together, if you like." He offered. Paine nodded agreeably.

"Are you done for the day?" She asked him. Barthello nodded. "You should relax with me." She urged him eagerly. Barthello grinned faintly. He wondered what she might be up to, though he thought he had an idea.

"Sure. I suppose I will." He agreed. Paine stood up then and nodded to the side, indicating she wanted him to follow her.

Paine led him into a small glade in the palm forest, nearby a small cave in the giant boulders beside the oasis. There was a large bed of fresh palm leaves there and a pile of coconuts near it, and also a large clay bowl filled with palm oil.

"I've been coming here to relax for the past few days. It's quiet, and no one else knows about it." She said to him.

"Sure, it looks nice." Barthello agreed. Paine strode over to the bed of palm leaves and sat down.

"Since the air is so dry out here, I've been using oil to keep my skin soft. Do you think you could help me?" She asked, reaching for the clay bowl and handing it to him.

"Uh, sure." Barthello said awkwardly as he took it from her.

"Great! Thanks a lot. Don't be shy!" She urged him, and she laid on her belly across the palm leaves, with her backside turned up toward him. Barthello knelt down beside her and took a handful of oil and began rubbing it across her back. Paine sighed and hummed with pleasure. His hands were big, rough and strong, and she enjoyed his firm but gentle touch. She noticed he wasn't grasping much, though.

"Can you get my legs too?" She asked.

"Okay…" He said hesitantly, and rubbed the oil on her sleek, muscular legs as well. When he had finished she rolled over and faced him expectantly, with a sultry red gaze. Barthello smirked then and batted an eyebrow, but he simply continued his work on her body without anymore reservation. He rubbed her legs, hips and stomach, and massaged her chest and bosom. Paine gasped in relief and enjoyment.

"That's good. Don't stop." She asked, and she laid sprawled out across the palm leaves while he worked. She lapsed into sleep for an instant, but awoke while he rubbed her breasts. She spoke to him then.

"You said that your people forbid lovemaking out of marriage. Have you always followed that custom?" She asked him curiously.

"So far, yes." He said plainly. She opened her eyes and gazed upon him with surprise and bewilderment.

"Really? And you've never been married before?" She asked.

"No, not yet. If I had, I would be still. My people forbid divorce, apart from the most extreme cases." He said.

"How old are you?" She asked.

"I'm twenty-four, soon to be twenty-five in a few more months." He replied.

"Haven't you ever… wanted to have a woman?" She asked him in disbelief. Barthello nodded. "Isn't it hard to abstain?"

"Well, Dona made it hard for me, and of course you're making it hard for me now." He admitted, and Paine smiled happily, her cheeks touched by a faint blush. He continued, "But I've always managed to keep my will focused. The honor of our oaths is the source of the Calian man's strength and all his courage. We don't brake our word once it's been given. All young men must undergo a ritual of passage into manhood, by which they receive their weapons and citizenship in the clan, and they must take vows of celibacy until they have claimed a wife and been properly married in the eyes of the clan and the Valor." He told her.

"The Valor?" She asked, puzzled.

"They are the Valiant Dead… Lord Wulfgar and his companions, and their army. They rest in a tomb under Mount Eragal, until time comes to protect the island from invasion, and from Sin." He told her.

"So what about the girls in your country? Are they celibate as well?" She asked.

"Of course. They live with their own families until they have been married." He said.

"Didn't you ever find a woman on the island that you liked?" She asked.

"A few, but I was still young when I left, and I decided I would come to Wilderia to fight Sin. I didn't want to leave a wife behind, especially not with child." He said. Paine nodded in understanding.

"I see. That's respectable." She said reverently.

"And you? Have you known a man before?" He asked her, and he raised his hands from her while he crouched by her side. Paine shook her head.

"No, not yet. I was hoping to… but you have such an inconvenient sense of honor." She said with an irritated tone, but she grinned and winked at him.

"You would love a stranger? Would you rather not be married in good faith?" he asked, visibly affronted. Paine shrugged her shoulders as she laid on the palm leaves.

"In a perfect world, yes… but to be quite honest I've barely ever thought about it. I'm assuming that I won't live much longer anyway." She said indifferently, and she closed her gleaming red eyes.

"Death is no reason to tolerate wrongfulness." He said resolutely. Paine's eyes opened and glared upon him then. She scoffed. Barthello seemed to reflect on his words then. Eventually Paine spoke.

"You may be right about that, I suppose. At least for us warriors, it's that way. But don't try to judge me by your own customs." She said indignantly. Barthello nodded in acceptance.

"Perhaps it was harsh of me, to be so callous. I think I said it to remind myself to restrain my own desires, actually. If I pretended to be pure of mind, I would be a hypocrite of course." He admitted. Paine sat up then and raised her hand in a vow to him.

"I'll respect your customs, if you'll respect my dignity and my needs." She offered. Barthello nodded and raised his own hand to clasp it to hers.

"Very well. Of course I will." He assured her. Paine nodded and stood up then.

"Let's see what everyone else is up to." She suggested, and she patted his chest firmly with her hand, and then strode along back to the oasis.

The next day all of the companions went to the arena to train. Rikku and Tidus practiced archery in the far end of the arena grounds, shooting at straw targets. Barthello and Maroda sparred against each other with broadswords and shields. Paine was practicing with throwing knives and occasionally with her sword as well. Lulu and Isaaru had gone to the library to study, and Pacce watched the others from the arena benches. After Barthello had beaten back Maroda three times in a row, they decided to break for water. Paine came striding over to them with a bucket and a ladle she had brought from one of the fountain spouts nearby.

"Thirsty?" She asked Barthello with a smile, and offered him the ladle.

"Thanks!" He said, and he drank heartily. When he had finished he walked back to the sparring grounds as Maroda drank next and then went to sit with Pacce. Barthello was met by Musashi and Morihei, who had watched him fighting and had come down from the benches to speak with him.

"You fight well, Barthello. You said you hailed from northern Cale-Albia, under the slopes of Mount Eragal? That is the Boru Clan-home, is it not?" Morihei asked him.

"Yes, it is indeed. My father became the chieftain shortly before I left the island. He was always a respected warlord. He ensured that I was well-trained." Barthello told the old sages. Morihei nodded in satisfaction, as if he had expected as much. Musashi grinned at him and chuckled. "May I ask what is the subject of your fun, old sage?" Barthello asked him curiously.

"You know, that girl can't seem to get over you!" He said, nodding toward Paine. When Barthello looked behind him he saw her just as she turned to walk back to the throwing-knife range. He turned back to the sages with feigned indifference.

"Why do you say that?" he asked. Musashi laughed.

"It's obvious by the way she moves when you're around, and the way she looks at ya… when you're not looking, of course. Just because I'm a monk now, don't assume I haven't been well-versed in the ways of women! I was an adventurer when I was your age!" Musashi informed him. Barthello nodded humbly.

"Well, truth be told, she hasn't kept her fondness for me a secret. But I thought she would give it up after I turned her away." Barthello said. Musashi chuckled again.

"Why on earth would you do that, boy? How many girls in Spira have a body like hers, and eyes like gleaming fire?" Musashi asked him incredulously.

"My customs don't permit such affairs. I'm under oath, to abstain from the world until I've been wed according to Calian tradition." Barthello informed him plainly, and shamelessly. Musashi and Morihei glanced at each other, then back to him.

"How old are you, young man?" Morihei asked him.

"I'm twenty-four, almost twenty-five." He answered.

"I heard from the Lady Lulu, that you called the Aeon Donar out above the Thunder Plains, without using the summoner's arts. Is it so?" Morihei asked him. Barthello nodded plainly and sincerely.

"I called upon him, and he appeared." Barthello said frankly. Morihei nodded with reverence and gazed upon Barthello in reflection.

"You have traveled far across the world, have you not? And studied in the libraries of Bevelle. You know about the Final Summoning, and the duties of a guardian, do you not?" Morihei asked him.

"I've been all across Spira now, yes. And I have studied Yevon. Indeed, I know about the Final Summoning and what it requires." Barthello admitted.

"Well then… perhaps you could have benefitted from the closed meditation Sir Auron has undergone… but no matter. Your own traditions are quite adequate. Will you not return to Cale-Albia before the end of your pilgrimage?" Morihei asked him.

"Not likely. It would be far out of the way, and I doubt that Lord Isaaru would want to make the trip. He would not gain anything from it." Barthello said. Morihei shook his head.

"That is not so, young guardian. He could gain much from it. He is gifted in the spirit, and very astute in terms of magical knowledge. I think he might gain much from communing with your guardian Aeons." Morihei suggested to him. Barthello was enlivened with possibilities then.

"I see… well then, perhaps I shall try to persuade him, if he will allow it. Thank you for your advice, old sage." Barthello said gratefully.

"And don't be so rigid toward the girl. It never hurt a man to learn what life has to offer, at least once in awhile." Musashi advised him. Barthello simply nodded and then turned to walk back to the sparring field. The two old sages spoke to each other then.

"There is something to him, I think." Morihei surmised.

"I agree… he could have the gifts needed. He certainly has enough faith and devotion, and maybe a little bit too much purity." Musashi said.

"If he can be cured of it, without losing his way and his dedication, I think he might evolve just perfectly." Morihei determined confidently.

"Should we send him up to the summit with Auron, then?" Musashi asked.

"No… he doesn't need it. But we should speak with Sir Auron, to ensure that he gets what he does need." Morihei said. The two of them walked back into the temple then. The companions continued their training for a few hours, until the middle of the afternoon. They departed for the oasis then, but Barthello went into the temple library to find Isaaru. He quietly pulled up a seat in the area of the study desks, and then went through the aisles searching their content. He returned with an old book about the lives of the saints of Yevon. He then returned to the desk and sat down across from Isaaru.

"You've come to study, Sir Barthello?" He asked him quizzically.

"I think it would be good for me to keep a clear mind, and sharpen my thoughts." Barthello said.

"That's admirable. So tell me, Sir Barthello… they say you're not from Wilderia or the rest of southern Spira. They say you came from an island in the north. Is that true?" Isaaru asked him.

"Yes, it is. My home is called Cale-Albia. My people, the Cales, live there in three different clans. My clan are called the Boru, and we live in the north." Barthello said. Isaaru nodded enthusiastically.

"That sounds very interesting… I wish that I had known of it sooner. I would have very much liked to visit and explore the island, but sadly the pilgrimage must come first now." Isaaru said.

"Well, actually, the old sages asked me to speak with you about that… they seem to think that you could gain something from communing with our Fayth. I don't know if it is true or not… we have no summoners on Cale-Albia, but the Fayth do appear from time to time, when they are needed." Barthello said. Isaaru's face lit up then.

"Wait… you have Fayth there, but no summoners? And yet the Aeons appear anyway?" Isaaru asked, perplexed.

"Yes, only in times of need, when the people call on them with sincerity and purity of heart. Then they may appear to protect the island and its people." Barthello told him.

"It's hard to believe, but I know you speak the truth. It's incredible news… but why do you have no summoners there?" He asked.

"We've never needed them. We have only a few towns, but no cities. Most of my people live in villages, on the land with Nature. We keep simple lives, and follow our customs, and train as warriors. We have not been troubled by Sin for a century now, and the last time it appeared near our island, the Fayth drove it away." Barthello said. Isaaru was clearly intrigued.

"If the sages think that I could learn to summon your Fayth, then perhaps it would be worth the trip to investigate. After all, we have an airship in our use… we might as well use it for the cause of Yevon." Isaaru said. Barthello nodded with a grin.

"I'm glad you see it that way. I should like to see my family once more, in case I don't get another chance, and I should like to visit the shrines of our Fayth as well." Barthello said eagerly.

"I just have one question, if you'll permit me?" Isaaru asked.

"Of course!" Barthello replied.

"Since your home island is secure and safe from Sin, and you live among such devout and noble people, why did you ever choose to leave and come to the rest of Spira? I would think that it should be a wonderful place to live… why not stay there the rest of your life?" Isaaru asked him. Barthello reflected a moment, then answered him plainly and truthfully.

"In truth, sometimes I wonder that myself, but somehow within me I knew that it was the right thing to do for me to leave home and come to Spira, to defeat Sin. We were all told as children of the dark days brought by Sin, and how the southern people suffer under it. On the day that I became a man and a warrior, I decided that I had to help the rest of Spira if I could. I had to end their suffering, even if only for a brief time. So I left home, and went to Bevelle to study Yevon, and I found a summoner to guard on pilgrimage. I have decided that this is the quest of my life, and I'm not afraid to follow through with it." Barthello told him humbly. Isaaru's amber eyes gleamed with reverence.

"What you have said… makes me have great respect for you. I am honored to have you as my guardian, Sir." Isaaru said, and he bowed dutifully. Barthello nodded in return.

"I am grateful that you accepted my service. I will guard you with my life, Lord Isaaru, and I will happily sacrifice everything for the cause." Barthello vowed. They talked and studied together for the rest of the afternoon, finding that they had much in common, and soon they became good friends. They finally left when Maroda and Pacce came to find their older brother, and together they all went back to the airship.

In the hall that ran by their chambers, Paine was walking by Tidus' room. She could hear the Al-Bhed shows playing on his sphere monitor, but she also heard Rikku's giggling and heavy breathing from both of them. She stopped in the middle of the hall then, feeling a sharp tingling over her skin and sharp pangs in her arms and up her back. Her heartbeat quickened immediately and she felt buzzing in her head. She stepped silently next to the door, and heard the sounds of them together. She was anxious and upset all at once, but soon she heard footsteps coming down the hall and she quickly stepped away and started moving toward her own room. She opened the door just as Barthello, Isaaru and his brothers came walking down the hall. She gazed upon Barthello then, and his eyes met hers. She couldn't help the expression of anxiety, anger and shock that beamed from her to him in that moment, and Barthello only gazed upon her in bewilderment and concern, yet he kept walking with the others and Paine quickly went into her room and shut the door before they approached. She sulked in her room then, and couldn't keep the tears from welling up in her eyes. She felt sick then, and furious with herself for being so unhinged. Paine knew what it was that she felt; jealousy, envy, rage, loneliness, and rejection. She couldn't understand why Rikku was never affected much by anything bad that happened to her. She remained cheerful and bright all the way. Now to see that Rikku could enjoy what Paine herself could not, was infuriating to her. She laid on her bed, crying in silence.

She thought of Barthello, and her heart began to ache for him then as much as her body had. She had desired his body and his power, but now she loved him for his bravery and nobility. That he had refused to compromise himself made her desire him even more. She laid there for the rest of the night and did not get up the next morning. An hour before noon, suddenly she heard a knock on her door. Paine got up and wiped her face quickly, and then went to answer the door. When she opened it she found Lulu waiting outside. Lulu smiled warmly and tried to minimize her notice of Paine's tear-stained face.

"Good morning, Paine! Do you mind if I come in for a moment?" She asked. Paine simply nodded and backed into the room, letting Lulu step inside. She closed the door behind her and then sat down on Paine's bedside.

"I figured you would be fine, but Barthello said it wasn't like you to sleep in, and he asked me to come check up on you." Lulu said. Paine stood across the room with her arms crossed over her chest.

"You were right. I'm fine." Paine said shortly. Lulu tilted her head to one side, peering curiously at Paine.

"Really? Is there anything you'd like to say, perhaps? I won't tell anyone, and I won't make a fuss about it." Lulu assured her. Paine hesitated and said nothing. Lulu shrugged her shoulders and stood up then. "Well, if you don't want to talk that's fine too. I know how it is to be young and alone on the pilgrimage. It's a hard life for a woman, but keeping quiet about it will make you stronger, I suppose." She said dismissively. Finally Paine spoke.

"Do you think there's something wrong with me?" Paine asked. Lulu faced her with a serious expression.

"No… why?" She asked.

"Have I done something wrong, on the way here? I'm just trying to figure out why my life keeps twisting itself into knots, and nothing I want ever comes to me." Paine said darkly. Lulu gazed upon her sympathetically then.

"Life is bittersweet, dear. Mostly bitter, for some of us. What is it that has you so riled up?" She asked openly.

"I wanted Barthello to come here, but he sent you instead. I want him, but he won't break his customs for me… and I know that Rikku is having sex with Tidus, and it's driving me insane! I don't know what's wrong with me… I thought I was strong, but it seems that suddenly I can't control my own feelings! I thought I was a soldier… a fighter. I thought I could get over anything since the operation at Mi'ihen. I don't understand how she can be so happy and free, while I feel like I'm trapped and powerless…" Paine said, becoming visibly frantic. Lulu stepped up and wrapped her arms around the girl, and hugged her. To her slight surprise, Paine did not resist and embraced her. Lulu hugged the girl's head gently, and felt hot teardrops falling upon her bosom from Paine's blazing eyes.

"You'll be alright, darling. I know life is miserable when love goes wrong. Are you sure that you care so much for Barthello? There are plenty of other men around…" Lulu suggested to her.

"I know that; I don't want any of them. I want him." Paine said firmly.

"Alright. Well, if he's the one you've got to have, there's certainly a way to get him. You just have to put on a little charm and put some effort into it, dear. Men are easy to seduce. But I feel that I should warn you… just because some other young girl is getting away with it, that doesn't mean it will be good for you. Too much free love is bad for a girl; it will turn her into a hard-hearted and capricious woman. You won't be able to live with a man after that." Lulu cautioned her.

"I only want him. He won't take me unless we're married." Paine said ruefully.

"Well then, if you feel that strongly about it, maybe you should get him to marry you. It might be a good thing that you have to wait… it will give you time to think it over." Lulu suggested.

"What if we don't make it through the pilgrimage? What if one of us dies!" Paine cried.

"You might not necessarily die, darling. Lots of people live through the pilgrimage. I've lived through three of them so far." Lulu said, attempting to calm her. Paine finally stopped weeping and looked up at the dark sorceress. Lulu smiled and held the girl's face in her hands, caressing Paine's face with her long fingernails. "Do you feel better now?" she asked gently. Paine nodded.

"What should I do?" Paine asked.

"I would like to see you get along with Rikku again. She's a sweet girl, and she might be able to help you catch your man's attention. If we all work together on it, I'm sure we can find a way to win him over. Besides, if the two of you are going to work together on freeing Yuna at some point, you need to be able to trust each other." Lulu advised her. Paine nodded in acceptance.

"Alright. Thank you…" Paine said softly. Lulu patted her cheek, and then released her and stepped to the door, leaving her room. Paine sat alone for a moment, then decided that she would get brunch at the airship's cafeteria, and then go out to swim in the oasis and relax. She put on her dark blue bikini and wore a thin, long shirt that draped onto her upper thighs and hung low down past one shoulder. She put on sandals then and went out of her room.

Down in the depths of the dungeon, Auron was sitting on his cushion as he had been for the past two days. Now the final day was upon him. He had been meditating the entire time, and contemplating on many things. Most often he thought of Braska, and of Jecht. He saw them clearly then, as they were, and as he was. One by one, delusions began to melt and crumble away from him. He now began to feel that he understood who and what he was, and why the universe ebbed and flowed as it did, of necessity and following the clearest path, as was right and in accordance with all the laws of reality. This was their own reality, at least… and he began to understand the impulses of memory and light that fomented it, brought it into being. Auron spent the final day in deep meditation. Occasionally his thoughts drifted upon the others he had known; his companions on the journey. He knew then, how they felt toward him, and why. He still could not feel the attachment to them himself, as he was still dead inside. He wondered if, perhaps being Unsent, made it possible for him to use his meditation to see these things in ways that a living person could not. Eventually he concluded that it was so.

Soon he heard the door to the dungeon being unbarred and opened, and he saw the two sages come walking beside the canal with lanterns glowing in their hands. They stepped to the doorway of the room in which he sat, and smiled down upon him.

"Sir Auron, it is time. You must go up the mountain, to Khaibar Peak." Morihei said to him. Auron nodded plainly, and with some effort he stood up and followed them back up to the first floor of the temple. When they stepped out onto the plaza of the temple, he saw that the sun was over the horizon, and only its faint glow remained. He saw Barthello and Isaaru waiting for him there, with the rest of his companions. They approached then.

"We are with you, Sir Auron!" Barthello assured him. Auron only nodded appreciatively, but said nothing. He followed the sages on a slow trek up the sand dunes and into the rocky mountains. His companions followed not far behind them, but they respectfully kept their distance. The night sky soon lit up with millions of stars and the white radiance of the moon shone down upon them. As they ascended the heights, Auron felt as though they were walking into the sky, to the cosmos itself. As they strode along one of the high passes, he noticed that most of his company had stopped to wait on a flat crest behind him, below the actual peak of the mountain. Only Barthello continued to follow him then, and the sages led him onward. Finally they arrived at the summit, above everything else on the island of Bikanel. The shrine was before him, and the two old sages opened their lanterns and took candles from the altar and lit them, then placed them back. Auron could see the shrine more clearly then; it was a rooftop build over a man-sized statue of an old saint with a curved sword in one hand and a staff in the other. There was a pool nearby the shrine, filled by a spring that gushed up from the mountain and slowly drained down the other side behind the shrine. Morihei and Musashi pointed him to the pool of crystalline water, and Auron stepped into it and splashed it over himself, and washed his face and his head, his arms and hands, and then he stepped out and approached the shrine. He knelt before the statue, and began to meditate.

For an hour he meditated undisturbed, but then suddenly he felt warmth upon him, and he sensed a bright light, as if the candles were growing brighter. He soon felt it was overwhelming, and so he opened his eyes. He could see the statue was glowing then, and as he gazed upon it, suddenly he felt the warmth surrounding him and a golden aura of light and energy sprang up from the ground beneath him and enveloped him. Auron felt the powers of the earth channeling up through the mountain and into him, filling him with energy and spirit, with life. Auron sat in the radiance of this new power, and it surged through him. Finally it was done, and the aura submerged within him, and the statue cooled and went dark again. Auron knew that he had accomplished his task, but he was changed now. He felt energy and power, and his arm was no longer crippled. He felt his eye opening then, as if it were healed, and he could see through it again. It was not normal vision anymore, but he could instead see the spiritual auras and the lifestream flowing through the world around him, through the mountain, the shrine, and the others around him. He stood up and turned around, and saw the old sages behind him, and Barthello as well. He could see the quality of their auras, and he saw a bright blue radiance surrounding the sages, and a golden-red light emanating from Barthello, but also a faint blue light from his eyes and a green light from his heart. He could tell that they beheld him with awe, and with bewilderment. He closed his eye then and saw that they had settled down.

"What is this power? How is it that I can feel as if I'm alive again?" He asked the two old sages.

"You have been given a small part of the life force of the world, and the energy of the whole universe. It has revived you for a time, but it is not a permanent part of you. You will live until your destiny is complete, and then you must return what has been given." Morihei told him.

"Very well then… I will respect the powers that have blessed me. I thank you, teachers, for everything. I owe you… all of Spira owes you, if I should succeed." Auron said graciously.

"It is our joy, and our destiny, to have done this. We ask that you take us with you, Sir Auron, not as guardians but as guides. You have what you need now, but there are others in your company who must also be prepared, and we must see that it is done, so that this time Sin's defeat shall be final." Morihei said to him.

"Very well. Let's all go together then." Auron agreed.

They descended the mountain together, and soon met up with their other friends. They all cheered and congratulated Auron, and came to embrace him and welcome him back into their company.

"You did it!" Lulu said gleefully and she wrapped him in her arms. Auron felt different now, to be in her embrace and to feel her buxom figure pressed against him. He took hold of her and patted her back affectionately.

"I'm glad to be with you all again. We should go together from now on, wherever we must go for the good of Spira, and each other." He said warmly. They all cheered and went down the mountain together. When they reached to valley below they saw the airship lights glimmering on the waters of the oasis, Cid was waiting eagerly for them and preparing to depart. When the company had entered the ship they went first to the control room.

"Glad to have ya back, Sir Auron. I trust you've taken care of your business here?" Cid asked him pointedly.

"Yes, I have." Auron replied.

"Good, cuz I've got a lot of news for ya. We've heard from our people on the mainland that Yevon has been gathering all the priests and diplomats from around the world, and entertaining them at Bevelle. They've also quietly placed a ban on all pilgrimages. Some fresh new summoners turned up and started pilgrimage apparently, and they were all captured and imprisoned in Yevon's citadel at Bevelle. No one knows why, and nobody has been allowed to visit the citadel. Apparently the Guado are moving into the city in large numbers as well." Cid told them all.

"Wait a minute, why would they do that?" Maroda asked abruptly. Isaaru echoed his concern.

"How could Yevon ban pilgrimages? This must be a mistake, or some kind of misinformation!" Isaaru insisted.

"Don't ask me, kid, but that's what we've heard. Our scouts don't lie to us." Cid said indignantly.

"I can't believe they would do this… to imprison summoners! How can you suggest such a thing!" Isaaru raised his voice. It was strange for them all to see him angry. Finally the two old sages entered the control room.

"Keep calm, young summoner. You must understand that Yevon is among other things, a political order. They have done things in the past and are still doing things that confound many of us. That does not change what we have to do. You have your own quest; finish it. The challenges and obstacles on the path do not matter. They shall be overcome." Morihei said to Isaaru. Isaaru slowly nodded and bowed then.

"I suppose you are right, Lord Morihei… but still… can we not go to Bevelle then, and speak with Maester Seymour? Surely he can explain this to us…" Isaaru argued.

"What if he has you arrested?" Maroda asked.

"He's the Maester! Surely he would never do such a thing…" Isaaru insisted.

"We'll go, and you can see for yourself, Isaaru. But what if it turns out to be true, and what if Seymour does turn on you? What then? Will that be enough to shatter your faith, and hold you back?" Auron asked him pointedly.

"Sir Auron… surely you can't believe this as well?" Isaaru asked him, pleaded with him almost.

"I've seen a lot, Isaaru. I know about the dark side of Yevon, and I'm telling you now that _nothing_ is going to stop me from destroying Sin. Not even Yevon. If you don't feel the same way, then we might as well just take you back to Bevelle and turn you in ourselves." Auron said firmly to him. Isaaru quivered slightly, but he felt a big, powerful hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry about anything, Isaaru. I'm with you, and we'll finish this pilgrimage. The Calm is coming soon." Barthello assured him. Finally Isaaru nodded in agreement.

"I don't know where to go next… what should we do now?" He asked them all, with visible anxiety.

"Lord Isaaru, if I may make a suggestion…" Morihei spoke up. Isaaru faced him and nodded respectfully.

"Certainly, Sage Morihei. What would you advise?" Isaaru asked him.

"There was once a temple to the south, in the archipelago below Bikanel Island and the Al-Bhed Territory. It was called Baaj Temple. I advise you to go there next." Morihei told him.

"Hey, that's where I first picked up Tidus!" Rikku chimed in.

"What? That place? It's nothing but ruins. Why would we go out there?" Tidus asked.

"The temple may be ruined, but our explorers reported that there is still a Fayth there." Cid confirmed.

"How soon can you get us there?" Auron asked Cid.

"Within a few hours." Cid replied.

"Well, it's up to you then, Isaaru." Auron said to the young summoner.

"Is this Aeon powerful? Why haven't I ever heard of Baaj Temple before?" Isaaru asked.

"Indeed, it is quite powerful. You haven't heard of it, because Yevon and the Guado do not want it to be known; that is, the story behind Baaj Temple and the fall of the old Guado citadel of the isles. You will learn much there. Apart from her powers, the Fayth of the temple is of special importance to the world as it now stands. I urge you to go there and commune with her." Morihei stressed to him. Isaaru finally nodded in agreement.

"Very well, we shall go." Isaaru decided.

"Good. You can take spare weapons and equipment from our armory before we depart, if need be. Sir Auron, I have brought these for you." Musashi said, as he stepped before Auron and presented him a pair of swords. One was a large daito, not quite as big as the katanas that Auron typically carried, but still wieldy and powerful. The wakizashi was a short sword. These blades rested in their ornate, painted and inlaid forest green scabbards.

"Sir Auron, I brought these blades along for you. We did not have time to let you select your own, but these once belonged to a saint named Jubei. He kept them sharp. You will do well with them, I think." Musashi said to him. Auron bowed respectfully and then accepted the two blades, and used the cords on their scabbards to attach them to his belt.

"Thank you, old sage. I will use them rightly and responsibly." Auron assured him. With that, some of the companions went back to the temple to gather weaponry, and after they had returned Cid powered up the airship and lifted it into the sky. They left the dunes and windswept sands of Sanubia, and the glimmering oasis. They were leaving Bikanel behind for now, as they flew south toward Baaj Temple.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: The Sea Temple**

In the citadel of Bevelle, Yuna gazed through the window of her tower out across the majestic red city and the western seas. The daylight was fading then, and glowed golden upon the city streets and shimmered on the pools and canals, and all the waterways of the city. She had been left alone in her chambers in the tower for a few hours by then, but she knew Seymour would be coming back to visit her again soon.

Yuna was filled with a strange disquiet and despair, despite having returned to the familiar home city of her childhood. She still remembered much of Bevelle, and almost felt as though she could stroll out onto the streets and go to the market, or to the beach or the harbor. She could not, of course, as she was under constant guard and two Yevon soldiers stood watch outside her door at present. She was confined.

She thought of her friends, and had been thinking of them constantly since she had left Macalania Temple a few days ago. She wondered what they had decided to do, after she had dismissed them from their duties. It broke her heart to do it, but she feared what Seymour would have done if she had refused, and of course if she had told her friends about his plans, they would have fought. She wept every night since then. As she stood in the window frame, silent and lachrymose, suddenly she heard the doorknob turn and the door came open, and Seymour stepped inside. He greeted her with his venomous smile, smug and full of self-confidence, and now she could always detect the maliciousness behind it. Perhaps she had always felt uneasy around him, but before Macalania she had never suspected him of anything devious or underhanded. Now she could detect on him with every glance.

"Would you like to have dinner in the banquet hall with me, Lady Yuna?" He asked her softly, with his subtle and unthreatening voice. The idea of it made her tense up, but so far he had not done any harm to her, and so she hoped that she could make it through the meal without offending him.

"Yes, thank you." She said plainly. Seymour strode across the room toward her, and he stood beside her, gazing out the window.

"You don't seem very happy to returned to your own home city, Lady Yuna. Surely you can appreciate the cultivated beauty of Spira's greatest city, and Yevon's capitol." He said, prompting her to reply.

"I haven't really been able to feel much at home here. I lived on the ground level of an old mansion with my father and mother. I never saw the inside of the citadel until now." Yuna admitted.

"Well then, perhaps I can give you a tour, when we have some time together." He suggested. Yuna simply nodded without speaking. He turned his gaze upon her then, and she looked out the window immediately. "You seem uncomfortable, my Lady. You should relax, and cheer up. There's no need to worry; no harm will come to you here." He assured her.

"I suppose…" She said meekly.

"Don't you trust me?" he asked, with his face softened somewhat in a faint smile. Yuna glanced upon him then, and saw a gentle, sad and weary gleam in his dark blue eyes. He seemed drained, almost depressed. Yuna nodded quickly.

"I believe you… I suppose. But I can't understand any of this. I don't know why you would do this…" She said nervously.

"But I already told you; to defeat Sin, and secure the future of Spira. Why else should I do it? Of course, I won't deny my own fondness for you in particular." He said, smiling at her with all the warmth he could muster, which was not much.

"But… why Jyscal?" She asked.

"As I said, he wanted to stop me. I cannot afford to be stopped. The vision I have in mind for our world is simply too important and urgently needed, and no one person can be allowed to stand in the way. I regret it, but it had to be done. I made sure that he felt no pain. He was asleep, and he went peacefully." Seymour told her. Yuna's skin began to creep in fear.

"Why would he try to stop you? What are you planning?" She asked him.

"He did not want me to marry a Human woman, nor did he want me to join the pilgrimage. I believe that secretly he wanted to Guado to influence and ultimately control Yevon and all of Spira. He certainly did not want us to merge with it completely. He thought the Guado were most deserving and capable to rule Spira and guide it in their own direction, but I have seen that such a scheme simply will not suffice. It will not create a better world or solve the problems facing all of Spira's people. Only my plans will accomplish that." Seymour said confidently, and perhaps a bit darkly. Yuna sensed something in him, but she forced herself to ignore it. She hoped, and wanted to believe, that he was endeavoring to save Spira.

"Very well then. You hold all the cards now, so there's nothing I can do about your past. But please… I want to continue my pilgrimage." She implored him.

"Of course, we shall, Lady Yuna. We shall finish your pilgrimage together, and after the wedding ceremony is finished we shall defeat Sin. That shall be the dowry and our parting gift to all of Spira." He said.

"But why wait so long? Why another month?" She asked him.

"I want the people of Spira to gather in Bevelle, to be able to celebrate our union and to say goodbye to their favorite young Lady, the daughter of Lord Braska. And of course, afterward they shall celebrate the Calm here in Bevelle, and the defeat of Sin." Seymour said grandiosely. "In the meantime, of course we shall see to your training as a summoner, and the acquisition of the Aeons you need. We shall go to the temple here in Bevelle of course. You should meet the Fayth there; Bahamut is a powerful Aeon. Once we are done here in the city we shall go to Remiem Temple in the Calm Lands, and from there we shall return to take a vessel eastward to the Omega Archipelago. An ancient temple lies there, and it contains a powerful Fayth. With such Aeons at our disposal, victory against Sin is certain!" He assured her.

"I see… very well then. I had no idea that this was your plan." Yuna said.

"Indeed. I am sorry that I had to separate you from your old guardians, but your cousin Rikku was too much of a risk to your pilgrimage. If she had come with us to the archipelago, she could have easily signalled to the Al-Bhed and you would have been abducted. I respect her love and loyalty to you, but the Al-Bhed, being infidels, will never understand our devotion and the necessity of our sacrifice. You do understand it, however, and I trust you to complete your duties as a summoner. I am honored to share the pilgrimage with you, Lady Yuna." He said to her, taking hold of her hand. Yuna nodded and forced a faint grin across her pale and morbid face. She could have been wrong about him, perhaps, but she doubted it. Still, as long as the pilgrimage was completed, she felt that she could tolerate his presence and fulfill her duties.

"I understand. You're right… she wouldn't have understood what I have to do. We must see to it ourselves, then." Yuna agreed.

The next morning, early in the foggy hours of twilight, Yuna and Seymour walked down the quiet, cool streets of Bevelle, while the misty air of the sea winds met them. A few soldiers accompanied them not far behind. They went to the temple of Bevelle and ascended its white stone steps. Once within, Seymour led Yuna through the cloister of trials and to the chamber of the Fayth. He allowed her to enter alone. The chamber was quiet and warm, and lit by lines of gleaming circuitry and electric lights. The Fayth statue glowed with an orange aura around its glass capsule. Yuna stepped to the side of the Fayth and knelt down, sitting on the side of the glass and placing her hand upon it. The glowing aura brightened, and soon the Fayth appeared in the form of a young boy, wearing a purple hood and black shorts. Yuna gazed upon him with apparent melancholy and expectation. The boy smiled faintly.

"You look sad." He said in a soft, childlike voice.

"No… actually, yes. I am." Yuna admitted hesitantly.

"Why?" He asked gently.

"Because I've lost my friends, and I'm worried for them. Mostly, because I'm frightened of what will happen on my pilgrimage. I've been taken under the custody of Maester Seymour, but I know that he is up to something wicked. His heart is dark, and twisted, and I don't know how to help him. I fear that Spira will suffer if he succeeds with his plans." Yuna said bleakly. The boy nodded sympathetically.

"Don't lose hope; things are changing now. I've felt it, and I've heard whispers from the rest of the Fayth. We will not be here much longer, and there will not be another pilgrimage in Spira. Whatever happens, it will be for the best." He said, attempting to comfort her. Yuna gazed upon him bright-eyed then.

"Truly? Well then… I shall finish my journey as fast as I can!" She assured him. The boy nodded, and stepped forward then. His spirit merged with her body, and he was gone. Yuna passed out then, laying sprawled across the capsule of the Fayth. When she awoke she found herself still in the chamber, but she was lying on her back and her head was propped up on something soft and warm. She opened her eyes and looked up into Seymour's face. He was holding her head gently in his lap, stroking her hair with his long fingers. Yuna tensed up instinctively, but as she watched him in frozen silence, she saw that his eyes were soft now, and no longer menacing. His expression was gentle and nurturing, and not threatening. For that moment he seemed completely different. He spoke in a soft, soothing voice.

"I thought you might be out for a while. Bahamut is a powerful Aeon, and this Fayth is usually exhausting for new summoners to commune with. You did well, however. Your father would be proud, no doubt." He said with a faint smile. Yuna finally blinked and glanced around as she lay in his grasp. She closed her eyes and sighed once, breathing deep.

"How long have I been laying here?" She asked.

"Perhaps half an hour, since I came in. You did receive the Fayth, yes?" He asked.

"Yes, I did." She affirmed. His smile widened.

"Excellent. Well then, I'll take you down to the prayer room so you can rest." He said, and he lifted her up his arms then and carried her out of the chamber. Yuna might have resisted, but her body was warm and numb, and drained of its strength. She could barely move. Since he carried her securely in his grasp she did not protest. When she gazed up at him she saw his ice-blue eyes glance down upon her from time to time, gleaming warmly for once. It baffled her, to see him this way. She could not understand it. As he took her down the steps and aside to the prayer chamber, he laid her down upon the plush cushions there and patted her head softly. Abruptly then he leaned down and kissed her cheek, and the warmth of his lips sent a shock through her numb body.

"Rest, and recover yourself. Whenever you're ready, we can go back to the tower and talk about our next trip in the pilgrimage." He said, and then he turned and left the room, and Yuna was alone with her thoughts. It troubled her, and she wished not to admit it, but somehow she felt something for him then. If it was pity or compassion or distrust, she could not decide.

Aboard the Fahrenheit airship, Auron was standing in the control room with Lulu and Isaaru sitting nearby. Barthello and Maroda were standing near the door, while Auron himself gazed into the sphere oscillo-finder. He could see the sonar scans of the ocean below and ahead of them, and soon he saw the outline of Baaj Temple appear on the sphere, and he could see movement in the sunken courtyard outside it.

"We're there! We can let you down as soon as we find a good spot to put down the manlift." Cid said boisterously as he walked toward them from the pilot's seat. As he spoke, Tidus and Rikku came through the door, followed by Pacce and Paine.

"Don't set us down on the courtyard walkways! They're not stable!" Tidus told him. Cid nodded.

"We'll try to get you onto the higher levels of the temple. We'll be circling around if you need us, and I can send in a team of scouts with you." Cid offered. He went back to guide Brother toward a favorable spot. Auron turned to Barthello then.

"Stay with Isaaru, and protect him. We don't know what we'll run into down there. I'll go to inform the sages that we've arrived. If they join us, maybe they'll be able to guide us through the temple." Auron said. Barthello and Maroda both nodded obediently. Auron walked down the hall to inform Morihei and Musashi. He found them in their chamber, sitting on their bunks in meditation.

"We've arrived at Baaj Temple." Auron said. Morihei opened his eyes then and looked up to greet him.

"Very good. We shall go with you into the temple." Morihei said.

"What will we find here?" Auron asked him.

"The truth… that I know _you_ are ready for, Sir Auron… if the rest of your companions can accept it or not, is another matter perhaps. We shall see. It should be this way, so that the mission can continue in good conscience and with no misconceptions." Morihei assured him. Auron nodded in acceptance.

Auron and the sages walked down to the loading bay, and found the rest of the party there. Isaaru, Barthello and his brothers took the manlift first, then it returned and Auron boarded it with the rest of the company, and they descended down onto the balcony of the second level of the ruined old temple. When they opened the steel manlift doors and stepped out, they saw Isaaru and his guardians waiting along the sides of the archway leading into the dark temple. Auron took the lead and strode into the misty, cold halls of the temple. Water dropped from the ceiling and sea mists were blown in through the open windows. The dingy and crumbling stone architecture surrounding them gave them a feeling that these halls were haunted. As they explored the interior, finally they discovered a chamber occupied by six bizarre stone statues, with repositories for spheres to rest within them. A large, heavy door stood over the chamber of the Fayth. Auron strode across the room and up to inspect the door, then he turned back to the statues. The two sages faced him then.

"How do we open it?" He asked them.

"The door is sealed by these statues; they require spheres to open them, specifically spheres from six of the temples on mainland Spira." Morihei told him.

"So then what do we do now?" Tidus asked impatiently.

"Just watch, boy." Musashi said, and he stepped into the center of the six statues and sat down with his legs crossed and his hands forming a mudra over his lap. Morihei sat down likewise, facing toward his colleague, and together they entered a meditative state. Soon their auras began to glow with blue light, and from their crown chakras blue spheres of magical energy, memory and thought-force began to emerge. Six in total, these spheres drifted through the air and swirled around the chamber, and finally came to rest within the statues. Abruptly the door to the chamber of the Fayth began to creak and rumble, and it lifted open.

"Amazing!" Isaaru shouted in satisfaction. The monks' auras subsided then and they stood up slowly, and walked to join Auron and Isaaru as they entered the chamber. The companions all followed them this time, and they saw the Fayth of this temple was a woman. The capsule around the Fayth began to glow, and soon the spirit of a middle-aged, motherly woman appeared before them, dressed in blue and white robes with long dark hair flowing about her beautiful face. Her expression was melancholy and haunted with regret. In a soft, low voice she spoke to them.

"You are a summoner… but why would you come here now? How have you found this temple?" She asked Isaaru.

"I was sent from the temple at Sanubia… they told me you had secrets critical to my own pilgrimage." Isaaru answered her.

"There is nothing left here, young man. And soon there will be nothing left of Spira. I can sense that my son is getting very close to what he wishes for, and that is the doom of us all." She said dimly. Morihei stepped forward then and spoke.

"Tell them about your son, Lady Ashwyn. It is important now, since the world is changing drastically." Morihei urged her.

"You mean Seymour? He is full of hatred for Spira. It was my fault… I loved him, and so did his father, but he could not find a home with my people or with the Guado. I tried to give him a purpose and power to help him overcome his loneliness, I wanted to stay with him forever to help him through life, but I only succeeded in giving him a lust for power. His power is the only thing that helps him cope with life, and so he seeks for it everywhere he can find it. He wants the ultimate power… and in searching for it he inevitably found Sin." She told them bitterly.

"Sin?! What do you mean? What is Seymour planning to do?" Isaaru demanded in shock.

"Don't you know? He wishes to become the Final Fayth… so that he may become Sin. He will break the cycle, but he will do it by destroying Yevon, Humanity, and all of Spira along with it. If he can grasp that ultimate power, he will channel it into a destructive force greater than anything our world has ever seen. He may even erase our entire universe, and put an end to the reality we know." Ashwyn told them bleakly. Everyone gasped in shock and dismay then.

"Can he truly do such a thing? Even as Sin, how is it possible?" Lulu asked frightfully.

"Sin is just the manifestation of a much deeper power, of the esoteric knowledge of our universe itself. Until now, no Final Fayth has ever possessed the dark knowledge or the will to power that Seymour has… no others have felt the same lust for vengeance that he has. He can do it, and he will." Ashwyn assured them all. Lulu shuddered and stepped back into the shadows.

"That settles it! We have to rescue Yuna, now!" Tidus shouted fiercely. He glared upon Auron with burning eyes.

"You're right… we have to get her away from him somehow. Whatever it takes, we have to free Yuna, and we have to kill Seymour." Auron agreed quietly.

"Kill a maester!? How can you suggest such a thing?" Isaaru protested in dismay.

"Did you not hear her? He's pure evil… if he lives, he'll find a way to destroy Spira. We have to assassinate him." Auron repeated himself.

"I can't believe this…" Maroda said grimly.

"Are you giving up too, then?" Auron asked them with a snap. Isaaru and Maroda looked at each other and the rest of their companions, and to their little brother. Pacce knelt down and hid his face.

"Isaaru, I'm scared…" He said, whimpering.

"It'll be alright, Pacce." Isaaru said, and he took hold of the boy and hugged him tightly. Lady Ashwyn spoke again in her ghostly and melancholy voice.

"What will you do, summoner? Will you save our world, and set me free from my mistakes? Please… if no one will face the truth and embrace this struggle, then all will be lost forever. I don't wish for my soul to remain tainted by this." Ashwyn pleaded with him. Isaaru looked up at her with dampening eyes. He turned to the old sages then.

"What can I do? How can I continue now?" He asked them.

"You must follow your heart, Isaaru… but what she has told you is true. I was a monk here in Baaj Temple before it was destroyed, and I was here to witness Sin's wrath unleashed upon this place. I watched Seymour grow up, and his mother's sacrifice. It is as she has said." Morihei told him. Isaaru grimaced and looked down then; he burned visibly with anguish. He suddenly looked up to Barthello and Maroda then.

"What should I do?" he asked them desperately.

"I don't know, but I'm with you till the end, no matter what, Brother." Maroda said first. Barthello spoke up next.

"You have my allegiance, Isaaru. I'm here as your friend, to help you fight Sin and all the evils that plague the world. If Seymour is evil then we'll crush him as well. But I would ask you to come home with me to my island. We'll obtain the power we need there, to do whatever we must." Barthello said.

"We can't wait for that, we have to go now!" Tidus shouted impatiently. Musashi spoke up then.

"You're not ready." The sage said.

"To hell with that, old man! We'll do whatever it takes!" Tidus snapped at him.

"He's right, young man. I can see it myself; if you go now, you'll fail. We can stop Seymour by completing our pilgrimage before he completes his." Morihei advised him. Tidus shook his head and threw out his hands.

"I'm not listening to anymore of this. We're going to Bevelle, and if you don't want to come with us then we'll do it ourselves." He shouted, and he turned to go back to the manlift. Rikku followed after him. Paine glanced upon Barthello briefly, but she soon turned and walked after them. Morihei spoke once more then.

"Finish your pilgrimage, Isaaru. The final battle with Sin is your mission. We still have three weeks before the wedding that Seymour has planned." Morihei said.

"But how can we know that he will wait until then?" Lulu asked.

"He would not have delayed it unless he was planning something important to his strategy. He will wait… what he is doing in the meantime, we cannot know, but it matters not; if we can succeed in our mission then he will never achieve his wishes anyway." Morihei assured her.

"Until next time, when Sin returns and we are gone!" Isaaru said bleakly. Morihei shook his head.

"If there is a next time…" He said.

"How can you trust Spira's fate to that?" Isaaru demanded, stricken.

"Have some faith, boy. I'm an old man and I've seen many things. I have a feeling that if you go to Cale-Albia and then complete your pilgrimage, you will receive what you need to liberate us all from Sin." Morihei surmised. Isaaru hesitated for a moment, but finally he nodded.

"Alright. That is what we'll do." Isaaru agreed. Barthello and Maroda put their hands on his shoulders and lifted him up. He turned to Ashwyn's spirit then. "Will you come with me, my Lady?" he asked her. Ashwyn nodded, and stepped into him, merging into his body and vanishing.

"We need to go now… I'm sure Tidus will have convinced Cid to charge off to Bevelle by now." Auron said, and he led them back out to the balcony on the second level. They all boarded the manlift and it pulled them back up into the loading bay of the airship. As they all regrouped in the control room, Cid was predictably riled up.

"Auron! Where the hell have you been! It's time to fly to Bevelle! We're getting Yuna back now, and I don't care what anyone says about it!" Cid shouted boisterously.

"Go to Bevelle, and then what? Fight our way through the whole city and all of Yevon's soldiers too?" Auron asked.

"If we have to, hell yes!" Tidus shouted.

"We're not leaving Yunie in the hands of that maniac!" Rikku chimed in. Auron sighed and nodded.

"If we do this, we need to do it right. We're going in by stealth. After this, we won't be able to return to the city, so you'd better go to the temple while you can, Isaaru. We'll sneak into Bevelle, and find out where Yuna is being held. After you've gotten out of the temple, we'll break her free and fight our way out." Auron said. Morihei stepped toward them then.

"Sir Auron, I feel it is unwise. This mission will end badly; we should not go now." Morihei warned them all.

"Maybe it will. If that's our fate, then we'll just have to accept it. You know I can't stop them this time, so we might as well make the best of it. Barthello, Maroda… make sure you're ready for this. Pacce needs to stay here. I'll have to go with the others, to make sure nothing goes wrong until we're ready to leave." Auron said. Then he turned to Cid, "How long will it be until we reach Bevelle?"

"Should take about ten hours to fly there." Cid said.

"Alright. What about your men? Can they reinforce us?" Auron asked.

"I've got about a platoon's worth of fighters. They'll cover your escape when it comes to it. I'll drop you all off in the Calm Lands on the road through Macalania. That's where I'll have to pick you up afterwards, too." Cid told him. Auron nodded, and then he left the control room to go to his own chambers. Just as he shed his red coat and sat down, he heard knocking on the door. He opened it and found Lulu standing before him. She looked distraught.

"Are you alright?" he asked her. Lulu shook her head once.

"Can I talk with you?" She asked. Auron nodded and stepped back, letting her enter. He walked to his chair then and unstrapped his sword-belt, placing his blades on the counter by the side wall of his room. He turned back to face Lulu then.

"What's on your mind." He asked.

"I want to save Yuna… but I'm worried that the sage is right. We're not ready for this fight." She said anxiously. Auron nodded.

"Well, you know how those kids are. We've got too many of them in the group, and I'm too old to control them. I guess I just have to let them make mistakes. But I'm not going to fail in my mission. We're finishing the pilgrimage, before Seymour can finish it with Yuna." Auron said determinedly.

"Don't you think that this mission will pressure him into finishing it early?" Lulu asked.

"It will certainly make him double-down… but I doubt he'll change his plans now. I think the sage was right; Seymour wants it this way and he's determined to have it. I think we should be more worried about the repercussion he'll send to us… they'll make the rest of our journey a lot more difficult if they can." Auron surmised grimly.

"Then why don't you stop them from going through with it?" She asked.

"I don't think I could. They're out for blood now, and they won't be satisfied until they've seen it… either their own or the enemy's. I think we'll make it out, and then we'll continue the pilgrimage. Yuna may have to remain in Seymour's custody for a while longer, but once we've succeeded he will have no power anymore." Auron said.

"I don't understand how you can be so confident…" Lulu remarked in astonishment. Auron shrugged.

"I've been feeling a lot more reassured lately. I feel that we can make it through." He said with a faint grin. Lulu gazed into his eyes and upon his face and figure then.

"It's strange… you don't look so old anymore. And your hair isn't gray now." She noticed with surprise. Auron raised a brow curiously, and turned to look into the mirror on the counter. She was right; his hair was all dark now, and his face was not so weathered. He appeared a few years younger, perhaps.

"I had no idea… that's interesting." Auron said in bewilderment. In the mirror he saw Lulu step up beside him then, and he felt her warm, gentle hand upon his arm.

"I appreciate what you're doing, but if we go to Bevelle, I hope that we will succeed. I don't want to lose Yuna… I've lost too much already." Lulu admitted. Auron turned to her with a sympathetic gaze.

"You don't have to worry about that. I'm not going to lose this time; Seymour embodies all the corruption and wickedness of Yevon. If he crosses my blade it will be the end of him." Auron assured her. Lulu gazed hesitantly upon him.

"I don't want to lose you, either…" She said softly, almost in a whisper. She hugged him then, resting her chin upon his shoulder. Auron put his arms around her, and the smell and warmth of her body filled him with thoughts and feelings he had not experienced in years. It reminded him of life, and what it had meant for him all those years ago. He knew that this was not his own life, yet somehow he felt freed of the weight of death in spite of that. He released Lulu and stroked her hair and the side of her face with his fingers.

"Don't worry about me. I'm no stranger to death and loss. We won't lose Yuna as I lost Braska, so take heart." Auron said to Lulu.

"What about all of the others?" Lulu asked, trembling slightly. Auron felt a fervent heat and shakiness surging from her face into his fingers.

"They'll all choose their own fate. I respect them, and as long as they'll continue the mission with me I will protect them as well as I can. But both you and I know what it takes to finish a pilgrimage. This one has been especially challenging, hasn't it? I think I'll retire after this." Auron said with a grin. Lulu smiled then, and she giggled.

"I've never told you about the first time I passed through Killika and Luca on pilgrimage, have I?" She asked him with a bright glimpse of nostalgia in her eyes.

"No… but you should. We have some time." Auron prompted her. They sat down together then and talked for several hours, until Auron passed out in his chair, and Lulu wrapped a blanket over him and left for her own chambers.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9: Escape from Bevelle**

When Yuna awoke in the prayer chamber, she stretched and sprawled her limbs across the cushions upon which she lay, and crooned softly, sighing as she felt the strength returning to her body. She stood up soon and left the chamber to find Seymour.

Yuna went to the main chamber and found it under heavy guard, but the Yevon soldiers did not interfere with her. She walked into the study room across the temple, and found Seymour standing in front of the book case within once she entered. When he noticed her presence he turned to her with a friendly grin.

"Feeling better?" He asked her.

"Yeah. What's next for us?" She asked him with an upbeat tone, attempting to be amicable. Seymour's smile widened.

"We'll go back to the citadel and prepare for the journey to Remiem Temple. You can train with your new Aeon as well. But first, let's have dinner!" He suggested.

"Sure! Where?" She asked eagerly.

"At the banquet hall in the citadel, of course." He replied. Yuna sulked slightly, and tried unsuccessfully to hide it.

"Okay!" She said. Seymour grinned and looked upon her sympathetically.

"I know you'd rather spend the night out on the town, but as a Maester I can't exactly be seen running about informally. It's important to maintain the proper image, of course. I apologize…" He said. Yuna shook her head.

"No, it's fine. I'd love to dine with you anywhere." She said. She was feigning, she thought, but perhaps it would make things easier for her. Seymour seemed to have taken it sincerely.

"That's very kind of you…" He said warmly, and he took her hand and walked with her out of the temple.

"It's a wonderful day… I hope that the weather is nice when we walk to the Calm Lands." Yuna remarked, making conversation.

"It should be… the storm clouds rarely make their way around Mount Gagazet and Sin's Wake… that's why they call it the Calm Lands." He said, teasing her with a grin. Yuna giggled.

"Well that's good news!" She said.

"Haven't you ever been there before, Lady Yuna?" Seymour asked. Yuna shook her head.

"No, I've never been further north than Macalania. After my father passed away and the Calm began, it was Sir Auron who sent Kimahri to find me here in Bevelle. He took me to Besaid, and that was my home until the pilgrimage." Yuna told him.

"I see… you were seven then?" Seymour asked.

"Yes. I had my birthday after my father left on his pilgrimage." Yuna replied.

"And did your mother have a party for you?" He asked. Yuna shook her head.

"My mother died when I was very little. I only have a few memories of her. She died when Sin flooded the lower districts of Bevelle with a typhoon." Yuna said, a bit hesitantly. She regretted bringing it up now.

"It's a tragedy… how much we've all lost because of Sin. No child should have to endure such things. If I have my way, no more children ever will." Seymour said gloomily.

"I miss them… but they gave me the determination to start my pilgrimage and see it through to the end." Yuna said proudly. Seymour nodded sullenly.

"Indeed. It has made you strong. But in the future, there will be no more need for the pilgrimage, or for any more suffering and fear. Those things bring strength, but they make life bitter and cold, and darken a person's heart and mind." Seymour reflected.

"I'm sorry…" Yuna said softly. Seymour looked upon her curiously.

"For what, Yuna?" He asked.

"I didn't realize that I seemed that way. I shouldn't speak about such things. Perhaps it has made me bitter." Yuna said apologetically. Seymour shook his head and stopped, taking her hand in both of his.

"Not you, Yuna. That's not what I meant… you've always been gentle and kind. I've only seen warmth and compassion from you." Seymour insisted.

"Thank you…" Yuna said bashfully, gazing at the ground. "Do you really think so?"

"Of course. I wouldn't care for you otherwise. I think you are a wonderful young woman." Seymour affirmed.

"So perhaps then, tragedy doesn't always create bitterness? You know… in Besaid there are some old ruins in the forest, where I used to play as a girl, and every year in the typhoon season they flood. After the floods recede, the Hibiscus flowers blossom all over the ruins. Sometimes, sweet things can bloom even in the harshest circumstances… maybe even because of them." Yuna suggested to him. Seymour looked upon her with a poignant smile.

"When I hear you say that, it almost convinces me. But the harshness of life can grind down the spirit and break the heart…" Seymour argued.

"It can, certainly. Hard times bring out the best and the worst in people… that's what my father told me once. He warned to be wise and prudent with everyone that I met." Yuna said. Seymour nodded with a grin.

"Ahh… he taught you well." Seymour agreed knowingly. Yuna was quiet then, and they walked along in silence for a moment, until they reached the plaza at the entrance of the city. Yuna spoke again as they crossed it.

"Is that really how you see life, as bitter and dark?" She asked him. Seymour hesitated before he spoke.

"That's how it has been for me." He answered.

"Well… maybe that should change. Don't you think?" She asked.

"Oh certainly, it will soon." He agreed.

"I meant before that, of course." She continued.

"Hmmm… how could it?" He asked.

"I don't know… but a little compassion goes a long way, doesn't it?" She suggested.

"I wish it were so for me… but to be honest, Yuna, I have never known how to receive or to give compassion. It has always been foreign to me." He admitted.

"Never?" She asked, incredulous.

"Not since the death of my mother. Her kindness was the last I have ever known. But she didn't have the power to keep me from the sorrows and horrors of the world. She died trying… and with her I lost everything but my powers and my status in the world. That is all I have, and all I've needed since then." Seymour reflected solemnly.

"But what about love?" Yuna asked him.

"Love? Well… I don't believe I ever understood it. Do you, young lady Yuna?" He asked her, coming to a stop in the middle of the plaza. They stood gazing at each other with bleak sincerity.

"I do. Perhaps not completely, but yes, I know what it is." She said confidently. Seymour released her hand then.

"Don't be too certain, Lady Yuna. Life repeatedly teaches us our error, in showing us how much we don't know." He advised her austerely, and then he beckoned for her to follow him as he turned and strode away to the entrance of the citadel. Yuna followed him slowly, and reluctantly. She felt the fear and sense of dread returning to her then. She could not predict what Seymour might do next.

Aboard the Fahrenheit, Paine was standing in the upper levels of the ship, nearby the windows where she had first spoken with Barthello. She thought of him then. Barthello himself was with Isaaru and his brothers, palling around and training perhaps, studying, talking, laughing. They all seemed to enjoy a natural camaraderie with each other. It irritated Paine, because it meant that he was never alone and she had no opportunities to approach him one-on-one. She sighed deeply as she gazed out the windows to the clear blue sky and white clouds of late morning. It was an hour till noon. Their flight would be over soon, and she had no idea what to expect on their mission to the capital. Her bright red-amber eyes gleamed with melancholy and anxiety. She saw a bright figure reflected in the glass then. She glanced to her side. It was Rikku.

"What'cha thinkin' about?" The bright, blond girl asked her chipperly. It irritated Paine even further to see her, so beaming with exuberance and pleasure. She remembered what Lulu had told her, however, and she realized that she had no reason to be so incensed against Rikku. She calmed herself and spoke.

"The rescue mission." She lied.

"Yeah, me too. I can't wait to get Yunie free, but I'm worried about what might happen." Rikku said, coming down from her apparent playfulness and whimsicalness.

"You're very devoted to saving her. I admire that." Paine said, attempting to be accommodating. Rikku nodded with a firm grin.

"Yup yup! And I'll never give up!" Rikku affirmed gladly.

"That's good." Paine said, and she gazed back out the window. After a moment she spoke again. "So after we rescue Yuna, then what?" Paine asked.

"We'll take her back Home with us, and keep her safe, until we can think of a way to defeat Sin." Rikku said.

"You really think you can find another way?" Paine asked her.

"We have to! I mean, we can't just keep sacrificing more people!" Rikku insisted. Paine nodded in acceptance.

"I understand. I'll help, if I can." Paine offered. Rikku smiled and perked up immediately.

"Thank you! I'm glad you're with us! Thank you, for volunteering to rescue Yuna. I'm sure she must be a great friend to you. She's lucky to have you as a friend too." Rikku praised her. Paine grinned gratefully.

"She's a great person. She saved my life, and took me in when I had nowhere to go. I owe her… and I want her to have a better life." Paine said. Rikku smiled appreciatively.

"You finally told me! Remember I asked you before, how you became Yuna's guardian. So what happened?" Rikku prodded her.

"I was wounded in Operation Mi'ihen. She found me sitting on the side of the road to Djose, and healed me, and helped me reach the temple. That night she and I went out healing the wounded, and I watched her send the dead off to the Farplane. I could see the sorrow and compassion in her while she danced. I felt her anguish and hope then… I could sense her purpose and why she does what she does. I knew then that she's special… and deserves to live. I knew I had to protect her." Paine told her. Rikku clapped her hands and jumped up excitedly.

"I knew there was a good story behind it! Thank you for telling me. You know, I always thought you were tough and cold, but you've got a heart of gold, haven't you?" Rikku teased her with a pat on the shoulder. Paine scoffed then, and changed the subject.

"So, where's your stud at?" She asked bluntly.

"Oh, Tidus? He's still asleep. It was a late night for us." Rikku said.

"Sure." Paine said shortly. Rikku still didn't let it rest, however.

"You know, he told me something interesting… he said that he saw you walk into the palm trees with Barthello, one day while we were out on the oasis. He said you two were gone for a long time. Did you and Barthello find something interesting back there?" Rikku taunted her with a smug grin. Paine felt a surge of power and fury flood up through her veins, and her forehead was hot with rage, so much so that she nearly snapped, but she took a deep breath and let it out, and then answered calmly.

"Maybe we did, maybe we didn't." She said in a cryptic tone. Rikku frowned, but then shrugged indifferently.

"Well that's okay… I didn't want to know anyway." Rikku said, feigning disinterest.

"What a shame… I was just about to tell you." Paine said, and she lifted up a finger and tapped it on Rikku's nose. Then she began to walk away. Rikku stumbled back and then hurried after her, grabbing hold of her arm.

"Wait! What happened! Tell me!" Rikku begged. Paine laughed then. She was amazed by how quickly her wrath was melted away.

"Well, we went to a nice little glen there, and I laid down on a bed of soft palm leaves. I asked him to rub some oil on me…" Paine said, leading her on.

"And? What did he do?" Rikku asked eagerly.

"He rubbed it all over my body… he has really strong hands, his grip is firm but gentle… just about the perfect touch, in fact." Paine continued.

"So then what?" Rikku demanded greedily.

"We talked about his home island, and I told him a little about me, and we made a vow to respect each other." Paine said. Rikku gazed at her in puzzlement.

"And what happened next?" She asked impatiently.

"That was it. We went back to the airship. He hasn't spoken to me since, really." Paine replied plainly, and bitterly as well.

"Huh? Seriously? He didn't try to take you?" Rikku asked in disbelief.

"No. I invited him to, but he said that his culture forbids it. I'm really furious about it, actually. Can you keep a secret for me?" Paine asked, putting her on the spot. Rikku leaned back against the window and crossed her arms.

"Sure, I won't tell anyone. I'm sorry to hear about that… but you know, maybe you'll find someone better." Rikku suggested. Paine shook her head in refusal.

"Well that's the problem; I really want Barthello, and no one else. So, I need another favor from you. Lulu said that she would help me, and told me to ask for your help too. Can you teach me how to win him over?" Paine asked her, gazing at the floor in shame. Rikku stepped up to her and put her hands on Paine's shoulders.

"Hey, cheer up! We can surely have him chasing after you in no time!" Rikku assured her.

"I don't know if it will be all that easy… he's a very pious man, and he takes himself very seriously." Paine lamented. Rikku shrugged.

"Don't all boys take themselves too seriously?" Rikku said, undaunted. "That's fine, just play along with their ego. But boys like girls because we don't take ourselves too seriously. We know how to have fun and be silly, we're not ashamed to be soft, sweet and sentimental. You can do that, right?" Rikku asked her. Paine hesitated.

"I don't know… I've always been independent, and serious myself. I've always wanted respect, I've never wanted to let anyone see me vulnerable." Paine admitted.

"Well, maybe that's what we should work on first. Come on, let's go to my room and come up with a plan." Rikku urged her, and they hurried down from the walkway to the elevator, and down to their quarters. When they entered Rikku's room she went to her counter and turned on the sphere monitor. She found a music station and turned the volume up just enough to fill the room with a background tune.

"So what should I do?" Paine asked.

"I dunno... do what comes natural, I guess. You should talk to Lulu about luring a man. She probably knows more than me; she's older and she's been married before, after all. She's very mature and womanly. Me, well, I'm just a girl. Tidus already knew that he wanted me. I think you need to learn how to act like a girl, and play innocent, and be sweet. You know, boys go through a lot to protect girls. They like to be our 'guardians' in a way, right? So let him do that for you. I think it will bring him closer to you." Rikku suggested.

"Okay… but how can I do that? I'm a fighter, and a veteran, and I have to be ready for battle. How can I act like a girl in the middle of all that?" Paine asked doubtfully.

"Well, not in battle of course, but in all of the little things that you do and say. Oh! I think I have an idea now!" Rikku said excitedly.

"What is it?" Paine asked.

"In a few days, back Home there will be a celebration. It's the last full moon before the monsoon season hits Bikanel, and it's also the night that the senior students graduate school and hold a ball. All the Al-Bhed people celebrate with parties, dances, and big feasts, sometimes bonfires out on the sand dunes, and all kinds of fun stuff. We might be able to go, if we make it out of Bevelle. If we do, we should get dressed up and try to take the boys there with us. Can you dance?" Rikku asked.

"No… not at all." Paine admitted.

"Okay, then let's work on that, and we can try on some of my dresses. I know I've got a good look for you somewhere in here." Rikku said as she skipped to her closet and slid open the doors.

"Learn to dance?" Paine said in dismay.

"Of course! I'm betting that Barthello doesn't know how either… usually the man leads the dance, but you're strong; you might be able to lead him gently without making it obvious to anyone else. Come on, let's practice! Here, follow with me!" Rikku said, taking Paine's hand and putting one arm around her waist. Paine stumbled and stepped clumsily along with her. Rikku immediately recognized the problem, and glanced down at Paine's heavy combat boots. "Here, take off your boots; we'll have to find you some better shoes in here." Rikku said, and she went back to rummaging through her closet, until she found a pair of sleek black heels.

"High heels? No way…" Paine recoiled.

"You're going to have to get used to walking gracefully in these. We better start now!" Rikku urged her. Paine realized suddenly that this was not going to be easy, at all. She also realized that she could never do it without genuinely becoming Rikku's best friend. It would be far too embarrassing to undergo with anything less than a best friend. She gritted her teeth and went along with everything Rikku could throw at her, though deep down she had to admit that it was the first time in her life that she had truly had fun as a girl.

Auron awoke in his room where he sat in his cushioned chair. He stood up briskly and stretched his back and his arms, and his whole body. He was surprised; ordinarily it would have made him incredibly sore and stiff to sleep in such a position, but now he felt rested and energetic, and in fact eager for activity. He dropped forward onto the floor and started doing pushups, and he was once again surprised to find that he could do much more than he ever thought he could have. He stood up after this exercise and looked into the mirror on the counter beside him. His tawny skin was looking healthier, and his hair was still dark, and his face looked smoother and younger, as it had the previous night. The muscles of his arms seemed to be bulging and toned, and larger than before.

He knew that this could only be explained by the life force that had entered him while he prayed at the shrine on top of Khaibar Peak. He felt strong and rejuvenated in a way he had not felt for ten years at least. He quickly grabbed his red coat and but on his sword belt and the two swords given to him by the sages, and then he left his room to go to the control center. As the doors hissed open for him and he entered the chamber, he found Cid and Tidus standing near the sphere in the center of the floor, while the rest of their companions stood by the sides of the room.

"We'll be there in about an hour, Sir Auron. Are you ready for this?" Cid asked him.

"I'm ready. I hope the rest of you are too. We're only getting one chance to do this, so let's make it count. I want all of you to assure me that you're going to follow orders and be disciplined. I don't want this operation to be botched by any vain heroics or impatience on our part. Understood?" Auron demanded. All of his companions nodded, though Tidus did so with a grim look on his young face. Auron turned from him and faced the two old sages who came striding quietly into the control room.

"We wish you blessings and fortune on your mission, Sir Auron. Personally I do hope you make it back out. We need you." Morihei said to him.

"What, you're not coming along?" Auron asked with a grin. Musashi scoffed.

"Seen enough fighting for one lifetime, old boy. But you all go ahead and enjoy yourselves." He said to Auron.

"We'll pray for you, with all our spirit." Morihei assured him. Auron nodded, and then Cid approached and spoke to him.

"Sir Auron, take this comm device with you… you'll be able to reach Rikku with it. You might have a use for it down there." Cid offered him a small machina handheld device. Auron took it from him and then turned to speak to the others.

"We'll divide into teams. I'll use this to call on you when you're needed. Don't do anything until then, agreed?" He asked Tidus, who nodded in acceptance. Cid spoke up then.

"Alright, I'll be dropping you off in the Calm Lands as promised. Once you've got Yuna, have Rikku send me a signal and I'll come back there to pick you up." Cid reminded them. Auron nodded and took a seat in one of the chairs on the side of the room. After another hour of flight, they were hovering over the vast grassy fields of the Calm Lands. The party went down in the manlift and stepped out into the middle of the plains. Tidus gazed around across these new surroundings. The light, yellow-brown grasses and scattered cracks and steppes of the Calm Lands seemed to be peaceful and quiet, yet bleak perhaps. Mount Gagazet loomed in the distance to the north.

"This is a nice place…" Tidus remarked softly. Rikku stepped up beside him and spoke.

"It's where summoners used to battle Sin, after getting the Final Fayth from Zanarkand. That's why it's so desolate." Rikku said.

"Many summoners lose their way here, or get discouraged and turn back." Lulu added.

"We'll pass through here again soon enough, I suppose. I'll be ready then." Isaaru said confidently.

"Well, for now we'd better get to Bevelle and rescue Yuna…" Tidus said, turning back southward.

"Not yet. First we need to go to the trading post and pick out some cover… we need to disguise ourselves before we try to enter the city. Otherwise they'll spot us immediately." Auron said. Tidus shrugged impatiently, and followed along as Auron led them to the middle of the Calm Lands where a small group of tents stood, the last trading post on the road to Gagazet and Zanarkand. As they approached it, they saw two young Ronso children spot them, and then run northward up to the mountain pass.

"What's up with them?" Tidus asked.

"Don't know, but maybe we should hurry out of here just in case." Auron replied. They went into the dusty grounds of the bazaar and shopped through the clothing. Auron took a red cloak with a large cowl that could partially cover his face. Isaaru, Maroda and Barthello took brown cloaks of the same design, Lulu and Paine took black robes, and Rikku found a green robe. Tidus took the last one available, it was a darker burnished red, and somewhat tawny brown. They paid the merchant and then set off toward the south again, carrying their robes slung over their backs. Before they had gone far, they heard heavy footsteps behind them. Auron turned and put a hand on the pommel of his daito. The rest of the party looked back to see a pair of Ronso warriors rushing to intercept them. It was Biran and Yenke.

"What's the meaning of this?" Auron asked impatiently.

"Maybe they're still mad about what happened in Luca…" Tidus suggested. Soon the two Ronso had reached them and came to a stop before them.

"Sir Auron! We heard that you had come this way. Lord Kelk Ronso ordered some boys to keep watch on the Calm Lands until you arrived. He wishes to speak with you." Yenke said boisterously.

"I'm afraid we cannot go with you now. We have a mission in Bevelle that we must see to first."

"If you come to Gagazet, Lord Kelk would offer you help; he knows of a plot by Yevon, and Maester Seymour himself. We were told by Kimahri when he arrived on the mountain a week ago." Yenke informed him.

"Kimahri is alive?!" Auron asked in shock. Yenke shook his head.

"He came limping home, badly wounded. He was Unsent. After he told us of the ambush at Macalania, he left Mount Gagazet and went down into Sin's Scar. He has not been seen since then." Yenke explained. Auron grimaced with sorrow and displeasure. He knew that camaraderie obligated him to see the Ronso brave sent off to a better fate, and yet he had no time to do so now.

"We already know of Seymour's plans. We have to rescue Yuna, and complete our pilgrimage as soon as possible." Auron replied.

"It will be dangerous. Pilgrimages have been forbidden by Yevon now. New summoners who try to start, have been arrested and imprisoned beneath Bevelle. Maester Kelk left the city when he knew of this. Seymour is gathering many people from Spira into the city for his wedding in two weeks. He has ordered that no Temple business may be conducted until after the ceremony. He wishes to finish the pilgrimage with Lady Yuna himself, before anyone else." Yenke said. Auron nodded.

"Yes, we know. Still, we have to do our duty. We have to try." Auron said firmly. Yenke nodded.

"We go with you, if you need strong warriors to assist you." Biran offered. Auron nodded respectfully.

"We could use all the help we can get… but we're going to try to do this quietly at first. I'm sending Isaaru and his friends to try to sneak into the Temple and commune with the Fayth there. Once they've gotten out, we're going to break into Yevon's citadel and rescue Yuna. After that we'll have to escape as quickly as we can, any way that we can. You think you're ready for that?" Auron asked.

"Ronso always ready! We march!" Yenke said, and then he and Biran took the lead while the party continued on the way to Macalania woods, on the road to Bevelle. In the woods they all donned their cloaks and threw up their cowls, and they allowed the two Ronso to enter the city first and take their positions in the plaza.

"You three go first, to the temple. Get into the cloister of trials and complete the rituals as quickly and quietly as you can. Once you're done, get out of there and try to remain undetected. Wait for us at the plaza with the Ronso… once we get Yuna out we're most likely going to have fight our way across the plaza and the Highbridge." Auron said.

"We will do our utmost, Sir Auron! Good luck…" Isaaru said, bowing to the old warrior. Barthello saluted Auron and spoke.

"May the Valor protect you all, and good luck, Sir Auron!" He said. With that, Isaaru, Barthello and Maroda all strode out of the woods and down the road to the Highbridge. Auron waited for a while to let the other two groups get into the city, then he strode forward, leading his companions onto the wide, majestic tiles and tall pillars of the Highbridge. They walked down the mile-long bridge, and as they neared the bright and burnished red architecture of the city plaza, Auron beckoned for Lulu to follow him, while motioning for Tidus, Rikku and Paine to break off and take to the opposite side of the plaza. When they arrived at the end of the Highbridge, they saw Biran and Yenke loitering in the plaza, pretending to peruse the wares of some merchants who had set up a wagon there. Auron and Lulu walked by in front of the entrance to Yevon's citadel, and the two guards on either side of it paid them no heed. They walked to the street that led toward the city temple, and waited by an alley there, watching for Isaaru and the others to return. Tidus, Rikku and Paine sat on the side of a glistening fountain near the center of the plaza. There they waited.

Meanwhile, Isaaru, Maroda and Barthello had entered Bevelle Temple without any notice by the priests and guards. There were only a few Yevon soldiers outside on the temple steps. Once within, they found the main chamber of the temple mostly empty. An old priest strode out from the prayer room and was heading toward the library.

"May I help you?" He asked them.

"We're just here to pray." Isaaru answered him plainly. The priest nodded, and then went on his way. They were left alone in the quiet chamber.

"Maroda, you go into the prayer room. If he comes back and asks about us, tell him that we forgot our hymn books and went back to the hotel to retrieve them." Isaaru told his brother. Maroda nodded and obeyed. Barthello and Isaaru swiftly ascended the steps to the cloister of trials, and opened the doors quietly. Once within they found many machina devices employed within the cloister. It was far less of a challenge than they had anticipated.

"There's a lot of machina in this temple…" Isaaru said disdainfully.

"Consistent with the hypocrisy of Yevon that we've seen so far… don't you think?" Barthello said. Isaaru nodded with a grim look on his youthful face.

"Indeed. I don't know what to trust anymore. It seems there is betrayal everywhere and everything I thought I knew has turned out a lie or a half-truth." Isaaru said.

"Trust in yourself, and in your true companions. Trust Sir Auron; I know that he is in this for the good. The rest of it makes no difference; we never imagined saving the world would be easy, did we?" Barthello said with a friendly grin.

"Perhaps I did… I was naive. I took the easy path. It would have been easy just to go through with the pilgrimage and sacrifice myself, and never have to think twice about it." Isaaru remarked bleakly.

"True… it's too easy for men to die in the name of duty, never questioning orders or asking themselves if there is a better way. Sometimes it may be necessary, but ours is the honorable path now. We've dared to know and dared to act, even against the whole world, in order to save it. Surely there can be no nobler way." Barthello assured him.

"You're right… and I'm glad to hear it. I've come to trust you, my friend. I can honestly say that you've become my strength. Thank you." Isaaru said gratefully. Barthello smiled contentedly.

"You honor me, Lord Isaaru." Barthello said, with genuine pride.

"The honor is mine… but there should be no more titles or formalities among us from now on. I was only a lord through Yevon, after all, and if I were to be discovered in my quest now I would be excommunicated or worse. You may simply call me Isaaru." The young summoner said. Barthello nodded.

"Very well, though I think that propriety on the part of our quest is higher than any of the titles or formalities of the corrupted institutions of Yevon. It is only a gesture of dignity and devotion in the fraternity of our cause." Barthello suggested to him. Isaaru's face brightened and he nodded in agreement.

"Of course! I see now that you're correct. A brotherhood is what we truly are… from now on, we should refer to each other as such. I'm glad that you were wise enough to propose the idea, Brother Barthello!" Isaaru said happily. Barthello nodded in deep gratitude.

"Aye, a brotherhood! We'll make it so, Brother Isaaru. When the time comes we shall all be sworn into it together. In spirit, we shall all be united as brethren!" Barthello said with cheer. The two of them laughed heartily, and continued through the cloister until they arrived at the chamber of the Fayth. Isaaru entered then, and sat cross-legged on the floor in front of the Fayth statue. As the Fayth began to glow, and appeared in the spirit before him, Isaaru greeted the visage of the young boy.

"I have come to seek your aid. Will you help me in my quest to defeat Sin?" he asked. The apparition nodded.

"Yes, I will go with you." The boy answered.

"Thank you… can you tell me, do you think that this time will be the last? Will Sin finally be destroyed, and Spira liberated?" Isaaru asked him.

"It is difficult to say what may happen to Spira when Sin is gone… however, I do feel that this will be the end of Sin. It is what we have all come to desire now, for even the Fayth wish for our burdens to be over. There are a few among you now, who can make this the end after all. We shall see, if they can find it in them to finish the quest. In many ways, it is up to you, young summoner. I think you can do it, if you are determined to." The boy answered, and then he stepped forth and merged into Isaaru's body, and was gone. Isaaru felt a haze come over him then and he leaned over, propping himself up with his hands on the glass capsule of the Fayth. He was dizzy and tired, from the strain of merging with the Fayth. He felt his body was heavier now, having gained something extra. He remained conscious, however, and sat for a few minutes until he was able to stand up and shuffle slowly out of the chamber.

"It's done, Brother. Let's go to rejoin the others now." Isaaru said to Barthello. The mighty guardian nodded, and took hold of his arm to help him out of the temple.

On the plaza, Auron and Lulu stood together by an alley entrance nearby the road to the temple. Lulu spoke to him in a hushed voice.

"Do you think they'll make it out safely?" She asked him.

"They should… if not, they'll be fighting their way out. In that case, we'll have to break into the citadel quickly and then fight through on our own; they won't be able to help us." Auron surmised.

"I don't know who to pray to anymore… I only wish that this would work out in our favor." Lulu said wistfully.

"Maybe the time for prayer has passed." Auron said plainly. Lulu nodded slightly in acceptance, though reluctantly.

"Yes, I think you're right… still, I can't help wishing for hope… I wish there was some higher power to protect us all." She said.

"There is. I felt it on top of Khaibar Mountain. There are powers in the world that work for the good, and they work with us or through us. Now we have to do our part." Auron assured her. Lulu smiled then, and the light of her pale face and fiery amber eyes was magnificent. Auron was entranced by it for that instant.

"I'm glad… hearing you say that gives me courage." She said warmly, and then Auron felt her hand take hold of his. They gazed upon each other in yearning then, but Auron saw her eyes turn to the street behind him. "There they are… they've made it out!" She said with relief. Auron turned down the street and saw Isaaru, Barthello and Maroda approaching. He led Lulu by the hand then, and walked toward the citadel. He stayed out of sight of the guards, and stopped to send Lulu on her own mission.

"Go over to the merchant's wagon and tell Yenke to start arguing with you and the shopkeep. Try to get the guards involved, and I'll go into the citadel." He told her. Lulu went forth nonchalantly to do as he ordered. Auron held back and waited, while Lulu approached the wagon and did as he asked, giving the hint to the Ronso braves without alerting anyone else to what she was doing. Soon Yenke began to shout boisterously, and the shopkeeper waved his arms for help. The guards standing by the doors to the citadel looked on with concern for all the commotion, and soon they went across the plaza to investigate. Auron took his chance then and quickly slid into the doors of the citadel, and made his way up to the higher plaza of Yevon, and then into Yevon headquarters. He went on his way leisurely, drawing no attention from the acolytes and guards within. He went unnoticed until he entered the headquarters building, and a minister came striding across the misty chamber to greet him.

"Pardon me, have you got some official business with the Maester's?" The priestess asked him pointedly. Auron turned to her with a gentle nod and spoke unhurriedly.

"Yes, I was sent to speak with Maester Seymour regarding some details for his wedding ceremony. The Curator of the temple said it was important to have his approval soon." Auron said. The priestess nodded cheerfully then and gave him directions to Seymour's chambers. Auron bowed to her respectfully and then went on his way through the dim, cold hallways of the headquarters. He slipped by in the shadowy corridors, and watched his surroundings. He felt instinctively urged to open his ghost eye, and through it he saw the energy trails and the auras of those in his sight, as well as the path of their stream of consciousness. He could see that their spirits were diminished, dark in fact, as if the mood of the whole citadel hung heavily upon them. As he rounded the last corner on the way to Seymour's chambers, he saw a guard standing there, gazing wearily in front of him. Auron could see that the guard was not aware of him, nor was he very intently keeping watch. Still, he had no time and there was no other way around. Auron took out his wakizashi and hurled it spinning toward the guard, and the blade slid into his neck. The Yevon soldier was killed instantly.

Auron hurried forth then and recovered his weapon, and he opened the door to the chamber to peer inside with his spectral gaze. He detected Yuna's aura and was aware of her thoughts, but he could not sense Seymour within. He saw that her spirit was a melancholy blue haze, anguished and unfocused. She longed to be free. Auron felt regret then. He should never have left her in the custody of Seymour, in spite of the hardship it would have caused the party. He shut his ghost eye then and entered the chamber swiftly. He strode toward Yuna as she stood in front of the narrow window, gazing down upon the city streets. She heard him and turned around, and her face immediately lit up, her eyes widened with bewilderment.

"Sir Auron!" She cried out. Auron quickly pressed a finger over her slender lips.

"Shhh… I'm here to get you out of Bevelle. We need to go now, and stay hidden." Auron told her. Yuna gazed upon him in silence, and finally nodded. She couldn't believe what she felt then: hesitance. She was not sure if she should leave with him or not, but she went with him anyway.

"Alright… I'm ready." She said. Auron gazed upon her with concern.

"Are you okay?" He asked her softly.

"Yes, I'll be fine. But be careful, Sir Auron… I don't want any harm to come to you. You should not have come… you should leave now while you can." Yuna urged him anxiously. Auron shook his head in refusal.

"I'm not leaving you here. You have to escape now; we won't get another chance." He said insistently.

"Why? What has happened?" Yuna asked fearfully.

"There are things you need to know… it's worse than we all thought. There's no time now; I'll tell you later." Auron said.

"What happened to the others? Is Tidus here? Where are Wakka and Lulu?" She asked him.

"The others are waiting for me to call on them. We need to get out of here. Let's go…" Auron urged her, and he took hold of her hand and led her out of the chamber and through the hallways. As they were nearing the main chamber of the headquarters and the entrance, suddenly Auron had a creeping feeling come over his skin and the back of his neck. He pulled Yuna up against the corner with him, and he peered around with his opened ghost eye. He saw Seymour's aura then, and finally knew him for what he was. It was a blazing red aura, that of a fire dragon coiled around Seymour's form, with its scales covering his skin and its fangs piercing his heart chakra, and its dark talons injecting venomous hatred and fury into his nadii. Smoke and dark haze surrounded him, and the dragon's bright fiery eyes gleamed above Seymour's own icy blue pupils. Auron could see that Seymour was nearly aware of something gone awry. The Maester was speaking with the priestess and with several guards, and then he stormed off down the opposite hall toward the chambers of Maester Mika and Kinoc. Once Seymour had gone, Auron spoke in a hushed tone to Yuna.

"Stay behind me, and no matter what happens keep going. Once we get outside, run for the plaza as fast as you can." Auron told her. Yuna nodded nervously. Auron took out the comm device then and called to Rikku. "We're coming out now. Get ready to fight." He said, and then he put the device away and strode hastily across the floor with Yuna right behind him. He heard the priestess calling to him as they went for the doors, but he said nothing in response and once they were outside he saw three soldiers coming down the upper plaza. Auron flung off his cloak then and unsheathed both of his swords, and in the next instant he sprang forward into combat.

Before the Yevon soldiers could react, he had slid his blades through them all, severing limbs and slicing through torsos, cleaving organs, spilling fountains of blood. All three of them collapsed onto the stone floor at once. Yuna was running toward the steps down to the main plaza and the Highbridge entrance. Auron immediately rushed after her. He heard screams behind him, and as soon as he reached the lower plaza he could hear sirens and alarms sounding. He heard the sound of boots thudding on the pavement behind him. He saw that Yuna was rushing toward the middle of the plaza, where Tidus, Rikku and Paine all flung off their cloaks and rushed to surround her. Biran and Yenke took up their spears then and impaled the two guards who had come to mediate between them and the merchants. Lulu brought up her magic into her palms and prepared herself; a handful of soldiers had heard the sirens and were rushing down the Highbridge toward the plaza. (The battle of Bevelle theme is "Kishikaisei" by Wagakki)

Tidus led his companions to clash with the soldiers at the entrance to the bridge, but soon a whole platoon of quick-response soldiers came marching into the plaza from the garrison inside the city. Barthello and Maroda shed their robes then, and the two Ronso braves joined them as they intercepted and forestalled the platoon from crossing the plaza. They met with a bloody and brutal crash, breaking open the ranks of soldiers and crossing through them to the other side, and once behind them they turned back and smashed their way through yet again. They held them at bay, however, from the parallel street there came several more squads of soldiers who ran to block the Highbridge. Auron went swiftly to join Tidus and the others. He fought through the lines of enemy soldiers with his blades flashing and spraying red mists everywhere around him.

Isaaru stood in the middle of the plaza and saw the embattlements all around him. He could see more soldiers from the garrison pouring down the street toward the plaze. He took up his wand then, and began to summon. He called upon the Aeon Dogoda, from Sanubia Temple. A dark violet hexagram formed within a hazy portal, and out of it came a sandy hot wind, as well as a striding white camel with two humps on its back, and saddled between them was an Aeon in the shape of a man. His face and hands were green, and his eyes were dark brown. The rest of his body was covered by his white duster and his striped black and dark gray baggy trousers, and tall tan leather boots. A belt around his waist held two scimitars, one over either side of his hips. His duster was white and ragged at the ends, with a cowl that covered the top of his head and revealed only his face. A striped cord was wrapped around his forehead, holding the cowl down. Behind the second hump of the camel's back was tied a large gourd with a cap on one end. Dogoda held a riding crop in one hand and the reigns in the other. He rode the white camel a few steps forward out of the portal, and then it closed. Then he dismounted and strode across the plaza to do Isaaru's bidding.

When Isaaru motioned for him to attack the oncoming soldiers, Dogoda raised up his riding crop as if it was a wand, and then a whirlwind gusted up around him, and the two scimitars on his belt flew out of their sheaths. The mirror-bladed scimitars spun around him on the swirling winds, until the Aeon motioned with his crop, pointing toward the Yevon soldiers, and suddenly the torrent of wind flew toward them and the spinning scimitars cleaved through them. Several squads were devastated by this attack, but more came charging in. Isaaru gave the order for a more powerful attack then, and Dogoda strode back to his camel, and reached for the cap on the end of the gourd. His rough, green hand clasped it and pried it open, and suddenly a blast of wind came pouring out. The desert wind brought with it a stream of female Sylphs, wind spirits that grew in size as they left the gourd until they were nearly the size of a human, and they swam through the air gracefully, bringing with them a whole maelstrom of galing force.

Dozens of these Sylphs issued out from the gourd, and then hundreds, and together they glided through the air as if swimming together in a school, and they swirled around in a circle. Soon they gave rise to a small tornado, a spiralling white cyclone that surged across the plaza. All of the companions ran for cover then, abandoning the fight. The Yevon soldiers within reach of the cyclone were swept up into it and carried off into the sky, or else thrown back through the city streets to their deaths. The tornado ripped through the city, creating chaos all across Bevelle. In shock and horror, Isaaru swiftly dismissed Dogoda, and the wind Aeon strode slowly back to his camel and mounted up to ride back through the portal, which then disappeared.

Isaaru ran to help Maroda and Barthello, who slowly climbed back onto their feet. They soon heard Auron shouting at them from across the plaza.

"Let's get out of here!" Auron called for them. They ran across the plaza to join the rest of the companions. When they regrouped, Auron glanced over them all looking for Yuna. A sense of apprehension filled him and he turned back toward the entrance of the steps to the citadel, and he saw Seymour standing there, gripping Yuna's arm in his hand. He was glaring at them with utter contempt. From behind him, a platoon of elite soldiers came pouring down the steps and across the plaza. They were armed with spears and swords, and a row of men with broad shields took the front. Auron assembled his companions for the assault.

"Barthello, Maroda, Yenke and Biran, take the lead and make an opening for us! Tidus, Paine, you're with me! Lulu, give us cover, Isaaru give us protection and healing! Rikku, call for reinforcements!" Auron commanded them. He raised both his swords then, as Barthello, Maroda and the Ronso braves lunged into the fray, crashing against the shield wall of their enemies.

Barthello used his mighty spiked club and Maroda used his great staff to batter the shields, while the Ronso braves used their spears to jab and pierce into the enemy ranks once exposed. They fought fiercely, and the hedge of enemy spears wounded them as they pressed on hard against the shield wall. Maroda received a wound in the chest, right of his solar plexus. It was not fatal, but it knocked him back and Isaaru came to grab hold of him and drag him out of the fight. Barthello and the Ronso sustained wounds to their muscular limbs, now reddened with stripes of dripping blood. Finally they bashed open a gap in the shield wall, and Auron sprang forward with Tidus and Paine, only to find swordsmen ready to receive them. Auron cut through them as expertly as he would any other opponent, but there were dozens of them and more on the way already. Tidus and Paine could not keep up with him, and they were already cut off from their friends and surrounded. It soon became a brutal struggle for survival. They heard Yuna scream then, and saw her pleading with Seymour, who looked on with grim pleasure. Lightning arced through the ranks of the soldiers then, flying across the plaza as Lulu unleashed her magic. This enabled Auron and the others to regroup back behind the shield wall, but they could not break through. Auron shouted to Isaaru then.

"Call us an Aeon!" He ordered. Isaaru left his brother's side then and did as he was asked. He began summoning, and a portal opened up on the floor of the plaza. It poured out dark red plasma, and out of it arose the terrifying creature called Anima, a the dread Aeon from Baaj Temple. Seymour was frozen in shock and fury when he saw his mother's Aeon appear before him. Now he knew that they had discovered the truth. He cried out hatefully then, calling for more troops and raising his wand to summon. As he raised his red drake wand, suddenly he saw Paine run along the shield wall and jump up, stomping on one of the soldier's helmets and propelling herself up further into the air above their ranks. She took a throwing knife into her hand, and with a fluid twisting of her body she flung it. The slender, silvery knife flew spiralling at him, and Seymour gazed ahead with no chance to evade it. The knife blade sunk into his forehead, above his left eye. Seymour's head cocked back from the shock, and he stumbled. In the next instant he collapsed onto his back, struck dead.

Paine rolled across the plaza floor in front of the shield wall, but as she tried to roll back to her feet one of the soldiers sliced across her right leg with his spear. As she cried out, Barthello was immediately standing over her and swinging his spiked club in a frenzy. He beat back the soldiers and then grabbed her up in his broad arms and retreated. Auron and Tidus fell back then, while Biran and Yenke walked backwards along with them, fending off their pursuers with thrusting spears. Isaaru gave the signal for Anima to attack then, and she unleashed a blast from her uncovered eye. Instantly a dozen soldiers were incinerated; clusters of pyreflies whined and dispersed in the air. The rest of the soldiers fell back in terror. Isaaru beheld this death and carnage with dismay. As he saw his friends retreating, he dismissed Anima and then fled down the Highbridge with the others.

They hobbled and ran down the marble floor of the Highbridge as hastily as they could. Tidus was helping Maroda, Barthello was carrying Paine, and Yenke helped Biran as he limped behind them. Now that Anima was gone, they heard the soldier's boots on the bridge behind them in swift pursuit. A gunshot rang out then, and Auron stumbled, coming to a stop. He stood looking down upon his midriff. Blood was seeping out of his stomach, just beneath his lowest rib. He turned back then to face his enemies, and he opened his ghost eye. He could see their auras inflamed, and he saw the line of their aggression. Something else appeared to him then; he could see faint balls of light flying from the barrels of their rifles, before they had actually fired. Now he knew where they would shoot next. Auron ran back down the bridge, dodging bullets and taking down charging swordsmen one-by-one. When he came upon the riflemen he killed half a dozen of them easily, and then the others retreated. He could hear Lulu screaming to him then. As he turned around he saw Al-Bhed soldiers running to them from the entrance to the bridge. The rest of his companions ran past them while they provided cover, in case the Yevon troops should pursue them again. Only Lulu still held back, waiting for him. She came rushing to his side and grabbed his hand, pulling him along with her. Auron hobbled with her until they were behind cover, and then Isaaru and Lulu both took hold of his arms and helped him along.

When they reached the end of the Highbridge they saw that Cid's airship was hovering over the Macalania woods, glistening in the sunset. As they entered the road under the trees, they saw the manlift there waiting for them; it had been lowered through a gap in the canopy that had been shot open by artillery fire from the airship. Tidus and Rikku were waiting there; Paine, Barthello and Maroda had already been sent up to the ship. The Ronso braves stood nearby as well.

"We have to go back and get Yuna!" Tidus shouted fiercely at Auron.

"It's too late for that. We need to get out of here." Auron replied faintly. His wound was making him feel light-headed.

"We can't leave her! The Yevon soldiers are defeated! Seymour is dead! We'll get her and then we can leave!" Tidus insisted. Auron shook his head.

"The whole garrison will have been dispatched by now. The rest of the city guard will join them. We don't have enough men. We're leaving." Auron said firmly, and he stepped forward into the manlift with Lulu and Isaaru. Tidus and Rikku stood outside reluctantly, beaming with anguish upon their comrades in the open manlift. Auron beckoned for them, and finally they stepped in with their heads hung low. Yenke spoke to Auron then.

"We will go to Gagazet, to give this news to Kelk. Farewell, Sir Auron!" Yenke said. He saluted Auron and then both of the Ronso turned to stride down the path to the Calm Lands. The companions closed the doors of the manlift and it took them up into the airship. Cid and some of his men helped them back to their chambers. After some time, the rest of the Al-Bhed were back aboard and they departed amid sporadic cannon fire coming from Bevelle. They escaped across the western ocean, on the way to Bikanel Island and the Al-Bhed Home.

Cid went to Auron's chambers, and found him there lying on his bed with his shirt off, while Lulu and Isaaru tended to his wound.

"I'm taking us back to Bikanel. You'll get the medicine and care that you need there, and you'll have time to rest before we plan our next move. You can tell me what happened in the morning, when you're in better shape." Cid said to him. Auron merely nodded and saluted him with two quivering fingers. Cid left, and Isaaru used his healing magic on Auron, and then bandaged his wound. After Isaaru had finished Lulu told him he could leave to be with his brother. She stood by Auron's bedside, holding his hand.

"You fought well today." She said, with moistened eyes.

"Maybe… still, things could have gone better." Auron remarked sorely.

"Will Yuna be safe there, now that Seymour is dead?" Lulu asked.

"They wouldn't dare to harm the daughter of Lord Braska… but it would have been better if she had escaped with us. Seymour is dead, at least… so he won't be able to become the Final Fayth. Isaaru acquired the Aeon from Bevelle Temple… so perhaps that counts for something. We're all outlaws now, of course. If Yuna knows what she's doing, she'll denounce us all and claim we tried to kidnap her. Since the Al-Bhed reinforced us, they'll believe it is some kind of plot. There may be war soon, if the rest of the Guado and the Maesters have their way." Auron surmised.

"But we'll win in the end. Spira will be safe soon. Rest, Auron. We can't lose you now…" Lulu said tenderly. Auron nodded and closed his eyes, and relaxed on his bed. Soon he fell asleep.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10: White Moon, Red Embers**

The Fahrenheit appeared hovering in the reddened morning clouds above the Al-Bhed machina city of Home, just at the break of dawn the morning after the party's desperate assault on Bevelle.

After the airship had landed in the hangar, Lulu went to Auron's room to wake him. When she opened the door she found him still lying asleep in bed, his chest bare and his bandages still wrapped firmly around his midriff. She stepped softly over to his bedside and brushed his dark hair with her fingernails. She examined his bandages. As she lifted them carefully from his skin, she found that his wounds were already gone. She gazed in bewilderment upon him, and then Auron slowly opened his eye. He greeted her with a smile.

"Good morning… thanks for bringing me some sunshine." Auron said to her, with a hitherto uncharacteristic affection in his voice. This shocked her almost as much as the disappearance of his injuries.

"Your wounds are gone!" Lulu remarked with a gasp. Auron merely shrugged.

"I've been feeling a lot better lately." He said innocently. He took hold of her hand then, clasping her delicate fingers in his strong, rugged grasp. Lulu blushed, and her snow-white cheeks flashed hot red. She smiled involuntarily and averted her eyes. The potency of his masculine essence was overwhelming. She tried to recover from it by pressing the matter of his miraculous healing.

"How did this happen?" She asked him. Auron shrugged his muscular shoulders.

"It must have been the ritual at the shrine, when we were on top of Khaibar Mountain. Ever since then, I've been growing stronger and healthier." He said.

"Really? That's incredible… it heals you even now?" She asked in amazement.

"I think it's restored more than just that." Auron said with a grin, and he sat up and got out of his bed, taking hold of Lulu's upper arms and standing intimately close to her. Lulu gazed up at him in surprise and eagerness, smiling clumsily even while her eyes darted hastily away in anxious premonition. Auron took hold of her chin, grasping it gently in his strong, rough fingers. He tilted her face up so that she would look at him.

"You know, the way you look and the way you move so smoothly… you're like a peach blossom in the sunlight under a warm breeze. Gentle, and beautiful." Auron said to her, with total confidence and sincerity. His tone delivered it so sublimely, that it disarmed her. Ordinarily she would not have accepted such talk; she had heard it all before. But this time she knew that he meant it.

"Well… you've never talked like that before, have you?" She asked playfully.

"No, certainly not. I never had the occasion to. But that color in your cheeks and the shape of your figure inspired me, I suppose."

"To think about peaches?!" She asked mischievously. He merely grinned and nodded.

"That's right, Love." Auron said, and she felt one of his hands firmly take hold of her left breast, and her heart raced, while his other hand rested on her waist and caused her legs to quiver. She suddenly faltered and fell into his arms, and Auron wrapped her securely in his muscular grasp. She leaned backward, gazing up at him in wonderment. He took her up in both arms then and turned toward the bed, until she placed a hand on his chest and spoke.

"Wait… are you sure this is the best time?" She asked nervously. Suddenly they heard footsteps in the hall outside of his chamber, and fierce pounding on the door.

"Auron! We need to talk!" Tidus shouted impatiently. Auron sighed in frustration then, and carefully let Lulu down, placing her on her feet.

"Meet me tonight, at the festival!" Lulu said softly. Auron nodded gladly. She hastily kissed his cheek and then hurried to leave the chamber. As she went out the door, Tidus stormed in.

"Auron! What the hell happened back there!" He demanded.

"You were there. You know as well as I do." Auron replied calmly.

"We have to go back for Yuna! Tell Cid to give us an army!" Tidus roared.

"We'll go talk to him." Auron agreed in a soft tone. Tidus was visibly seething in front of him. Auron remained quiet, sensing that anything he would say might set Tidus off. He merely put on his shirt and then they strode out of the chamber together and up to the control room. Cid was there, with Rikku and her older brother.

"Auron! Are you feeling alright? I was hoping you would give me some report on Bevelle. What should we do now?" Cid asked.

"We should take an army back there and kick their ass!" Tidus said boisterously.

"I know how ya feel, boy, but our army isn't that big… they might have reinforcements by the time we get back… in fact they might be coming here for another round with us on our own soil." Cid surmised warily.

"Yuna needs us! We don't know what they could do to her!" Rikku begged passionately.

"I'll lead them myself if I have to; we can do it this time!" Tidus said, beaming with arrogance and battle lust. Cid grimaced and looked to Auron anxiously, hoping for advice.

"Sir Auron, what do you think we should do?" He asked.

"I've already told you that we have to finish the pilgrimage, and defeat Sin. Now that Seymour is dead, Yuna will not be able to complete the pilgrimage, so she should be relatively safe. I don't like it, but we may have to wait to rescue her. The rest of you can do as you wish, but we had a deal. I need you to take my pilgrims to Cale Albia, and from there to Zanarkand. You can do as you please after that." Auron insisted. Cid nodded grimly.

"You're right. Give me a day to prepare my city to resist a siege. We'll leave tomorrow at dawn." Cid relinquished. Auron nodded and turned to leave the room. Tidus spoke fiercely at Auron.

"Is that all you have to say? We're just going to leave her there in Bevelle?" Tidus demanded.

"She'll be fine. We have a pilgrimage to finish now." Auron said, and he kept walking. Tidus shouted after him.

"Don't walk away from me, old man!" He fumed. Auron stopped in the doorway and glanced over his shoulder.

"We already tried this your way. It failed, and we had to kill a lot of people in the attempt. I'm not going to let you hold the world hostage any longer. I'm finishing the pilgrimage, with or without you." Auron said firmly, and then he left the room.

In the bed chambers of the airship, Paine was just waking up in her room. She turned to her bedside. Lulu was sitting there, and greeted her with a smile.

"You feeling alright?" She asked softly. Paine groaned and her face was contorted slightly with discomfort as she placed a hand on the bandages around her thigh.

"How bad is it?" she asked.

"Not so bad. You'll recover, if you take it easy. You'll have a scar, certainly." Lulu said. Paine sat up slowly.

"I was hoping he would be here. Did he say anything?" She asked anxiously.

"He was here until a few minutes ago, when I relieved him. He went to see Isaaru." Lulu told her. Paine sighed in disdain.

"Of course he did." She grumbled.

"Well, tonight's your chance. If he can't take a hint by then, you're better off without him." Lulu said.

"How can I go, after this?" Paine asked, looking at her bandaged leg. Lulu shrugged.

"Love hurts. But you're a tough girl. Rikku will help get you ready. Just do your best, and don't show any fear. I'm sure you can handle that by now." Lulu said confidently, and with that she stood up and walked to the door, turning back as she stood by it. "Do you need me to bring you anything?" She asked thoughtfully. Paine hesitated, and her face was still morbid. Finally she said the only thing that came to mind.

"I'm starving, and I need water." She said. Lulu nodded.

"I'll put something together for you and have Rikku bring it up." She said, and then she left the room. Paine laid back on her bed again, and passed out for a few minutes. She woke up to the sound of her door opening, and Rikku came in with a tray of ramen and sushi. She smiled briefly, but there seemed to be something uncharacteristically downtrodden in her expression. She handed Paine a glass of water.

"I heard you're hungry! Are you feeling ok, though?" She asked.

"I'll live." Paine replied, and she took a gulp of water. She quickly took her utensils and speared a large ball of ramen and a couple sushi rolls and greedily ate from it. Rikku watched in amazement.

"You must have been starving… I guess we didn't really eat much yesterday, huh? And it was a rough night." Rikku remarked.

"I hope there's food tonight…" Paine pondered aloud.

"Of course there will be! More than you could possibly eat. But you don't have to worry about that; stuffing yourself would look un-ladylike." Rikku reminded her with a grin.

"I'm eating all of it now then." Paine determined, and she wolfed down her food until nothing was left.

"We should get you cleaned up, and then I can redo your bandages. We should get to work on our hair and clothes soon; the festivities will start after noon." Rikku informed her. Paine nodded, and slowly got out of bed, testing her wounded leg. She limped across the floor with a sigh.

"Damn it… how am I going to get through the night like this? There's no way I can dance, that's for sure." Paine lamented.

"Nah, don't worry; this way you can lean on him and no one will think anything of it." Rikku comforted her. Paine smiled involuntarily. They chuckled together in exuberance. They spent almost four hours together chatting, listening to music and trying on clothes and shoes. Finally they selected what they deemed to be the best outfits for the night. Rikku wore a pink miniskirt and a white halter top shirt, with sandals and ringed bangles on her wrists. She wore collars of banded agate around her neck, and phoenix feather earrings. Paine wore a black lace minidress. She wore tall, sleek black boots with high heels, and a spiked black leather choker. Rikku re-bandaged Paine's leg, and wrapped a dark purple bandana over the bandage.

"And now… we should be ready. Wow! You look killer sexy! You're lucky I'm a girl!" Rikku teased her. Paine smiled and her cheeks flushed bright pink.

"You think he'll like it, though?" She asked. Rikku giggled.

"He's a man, silly!" She said, and they laughed together. Rikku eyed the clock then. It was 3:30 in the afternoon. "We should do some makeup and then get out on the town, and hunt down the boys! I think some red lipstick and black eyeshadow would work perfectly for you!"

After they had finished it was almost 5:00 and they scampered hurriedly out of the room and down the hall, on the way out of the airship. When they stepped out onto the streets they immediately had everyone's eyes on them. They walked through the hangar, and saw Tidus sitting on the hood of a machina vehicle, with Maroda standing beside him. They both stared wide-eyed as the girls approached.

"Whoa! Hey babes! I guess now we know what took you so long. Where do you think you're going?" Tidus greeted them with a smile, and he eyed Rikku up and down. She giggled with pleasure, happily absorbing his gaze as she posed in front of him. Paine averted her eyes and said nothing, but Rikku spoke for them both.

"Do us a favor, Baby, put on something nice for the festival tonight, and make sure that Barthello comes with you. We'll be out on the sand dunes, by the bonfires." Rikku requested. Tidus nodded, and he slid off the hood and took hold of her upper arm and her waist, pressing a kiss on her before he let her go. Rikku and Paine strode down the hangar then, while mechanics and freight workers whistled and whooped at them.

"I can't believe we're doing this…" Paine said irritably.

"Relax? Who cares? You only live once." Rikku said with a smile.

"Where are we going?" Paine asked.

"To the cafe first. I'm going to see if any of my old friends are around. Plus, you need to try a shake, it's amazing! They have one with caramel and cream that is absolutely perfect!" Rikku said, and she led her eagerly by the hand up to the Al-Bhed city.

On the top deck of the Fahrenheit, Isaaru was standing alone and gazing blankly out of the hangar and across the sand dunes. He heard the door open behind him, and Barthello strode across the deck to stand by his side.

"Is something wrong, Brother?" Barthello asked, and his deep voice was full of compassion. Isaaru glanced at him, but hesitated before he spoke.

"I don't feel the same now. What happened at Bevelle… I never thought I would ever engage in such things. I never thought that I would take another person's life." Isaaru said gloomily. Barthello nodded sympathetically.

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize that it was your first time in battle. I remember the feeling, though it was long ago when I was still a teenage youth. My home island is often besieged by pirates and raiders. The men of my clan learn to fight at a young age, and they are proven at a young age. But it was difficult for me then. I had to learn to accept my duty, to fight against wicked men." Barthello told him. Isaaru's burdens were lessened slightly.

"I know you're a warrior, and I honor that. But I never wanted to fight anyone. I only wanted to face Sin, in a struggle that I knew no matter what, would be right and good. I no longer trust Yevon or Bevelle… but I can't say that all of those men were evil. I shouldn't have gone to Bevelle. We should have gone north over Mount Gagazet, and finished our pilgrimage." Isaaru said sadly, marked with deep remorse.

"None of us are completely evil. Men are not so good as to be without faults, neither are they so bad as to be irredeemable. But life is a struggle and we often find ourselves opposed even to others who may seem good in their own way. We have to believe in our own cause… our cause has to be just and worth fighting for." Barthello reasoned.

"Perhaps it is that way… but I don't want to fight anyone. I can't go through another battle, unless it's against Sin." Isaaru said solemnly. Barthello nodded in acceptance.

"I understand. I'll do whatever I can to keep you out of it, and keep you safe. We'll finish the pilgrimage and that will be it." Barthello vowed to him. Isaaru turned to him with gratitude.

"Thank you, Brother. I knew I could count on you." Isaaru said. Barthello extended his hand in friendship, and Isaaru shook it firmly. They left the top deck and went into the airship to find their companions. When they reached the halls near the cargo bay, Tidus, Maroda and Pacce came to meet them.

"Hey guys, you should come out on the town with us; see what's happening on the town…" Tidus invited them. Barthello shook his head. Isaaru also declined.

"I don't want to be around strangers at the moment. I need time to think." Isaaru said. Tidus nodded in acceptance.

"Fair enough. What about you, Barthello?" He asked again.

"No, I should focus on more productive things. Besides, someone should stay with our summoner." Barthello said gruffly.

"I'll stay with him. He's my brother, after all." Maroda offered.

"Indeed, you should. But I still don't see any need to get distracted from my meditations." Barthello retorted.

"Oh really? Because I heard some guys wanted to challenge you to some games. They think you're all muscle and no skills. I hear there's gonna be some sparring and martial arts tournaments, and something the locals call "dune ball". I think we should make a good showing, ya know… don't want anyone to think our guardians are soft. If rumors were to spread, it might embolden the opposition. " Tidus taunted him cleverly. He saw Barthello's brows raise immediately.

"Well then, we'll see what they've got." Barthello agreed. Maroda and Tidus winked at each other. The mission had begun. With that they left the airship together and made their way for the tournament grounds. Isaaru and his brothers stayed behind. Tidus and Barthello went through the city streets amid the crowds of Al-Bhed youths and celebrating families. Music filled the town, and there were some large crowds gathering on the outskirts to watch the competitions on the sand dunes. When Tidus and Barthello made their way to the front, they saw several rings laid out on the sands, with Al-Bhed fighters going at each other. There were a few referees and adjudicators standing by. Barthello and Tidus walked up to them and asked to be admitted. One of the old Al-Bhed judges spoke to them.

"We'll see if we can match you up against some heavies. There'll only be a few people big enough to go up against you." The old man said to Barthello, then he turned to Tidus. "As for you, we'll throw you in with the youth competitors. You can challenge anyone you want. Get a pair of gloves and padded shoes."

The first competitions were in kickboxing. Tidus got himself ready. He challenged a young Al-Bhed kid with spiky blonde hair and a wiry slender frame, with a black bandana around his head with a white skull and sabers crossed under it. The youth nodded in acceptance. After the ring was cleared, the referee called in Tidus and the Al-Bhed youth.

"Alright boys, no biting and no groin shots. No elbows or knees. When I whistle, you both better stop what you're doing right away. Now get ready." He told them. Tidus and the Al-Bhed youth squared off against each other. They heard a bell ring, and then they began. They shuffled back and forth for awhile, testing each other's guard, and then Tidus opened up with a jab. He didn't quite pierce his opponent's guard, but he was pushed back. They jostled back and forth, trading swings, until suddenly the youth caught him off guard with a sweeping kick that hit the side of his shoulder. Tidus reeled sideways and the youth advanced on him, pummeling him several times. Tidus countered with an uppercut that dazed his opponent and caused him to fall back. The audience cheered and shouted in excitement as the fight went on. Tidus and Barthello never noticed that Rikku and Paine had arrived in the crowd behind them.

Tidus struck at his opponent, but took a brutal counter from him, and then began to falter. The Al-Bhed youth was quick and hard-hitting, and he started pummeling Tidus repeatedly. It was then that Tidus heard Rikku shouted and cheering him on. He saw her there at the front of the crowd. He felt a spike of aggression suddenly, spurred on partially by anxiety and not wishing to be seen beaten in front of her. He struck hard then, and lunged forward into his opponent. Tidus punched through his opponent's guard and hit him in the chin, and struck him with a jab to the stomach as well. When the youth started ceded ground, all of a sudden Tidus jumped in the air and kicked high. The kick landed, hitting the Al-Bhed youth in the face, and he tumbled onto his back, rolling in the sand. The youth laid there dazed, and moving very little. He didn't get back up. The referee immediately blew his whistle and ran into the ring to check on the youth. He then went to Tidus and lifted up his hand, while the judges rang their bells.

"Winner!" The referee shouted, and the crowd was divided. Some cheered, others simply clapped, a few booed him. A pretty young Al-Bhed girl quickly came out to recover her boyfriend from the ring. Rikku smiled proudly, and went to meet Tidus as he stepped out of the ring. He was covered in sweat and sand, so she placed her hands on his chest and leaned up to kiss him.

"Good job in the ring! You look sexy! But now you'll have to go clean up." She said.

"Nah, not yet Babe. I'm gonna see what this dune ball game is all about. After that we'll have our night out, ok?" He bargained. Rikku nodded with a smile.

"Well if you want to play later, don't wear yourself out with too much fighting. Dune ball is a rough sport. Make sure you drink lots of water." She reminded him. Tidus nodded and went over to a table nearby with jugs of water and refreshments on it. He tapped Barthello on the shoulder as he passed by and then proceeded to empty a jug of water and several cups of blended juice, from an exotic yucca plant that grew in the oasis. It was said to help rehydrate athletes. As Tidus refreshed himself, he saw a huge Al-Bhed man step out of the crowd and toward Barthello. The Al-Bhed was tall, and broad shouldered, and his muscles were massive. He shoved Barthello as he walked by, and then stepped into the vacant ring. Barthello went in immediately and squared off against him. The judges and referees were a bit upset by this skipping of their line, but they decided to allow it to continue. They rang their bell, and immediately the Al-Bhed fighter began hurling heavy punches at Barthello, several of which connected and nearly knocked him over. Barthello used his footwork to his advantage and wheeled around his opponent, and landed a firm kick on his stomach. The Al-Bhed fighter kept on boxing, but Barthello fended off one of his jabs and then went in swinging himself. He landed two succinct punches on the Al-Bhed's chin, and then another on his nose, breaking it. This didn't seem to discourage his opponent, however.

The Al-Bhed fighter punched Barthello squarely between the eyes, dazing him for an instant, and then pummeled his ribs. Barthello whirled aside then and punched the Al-Bhed once on the side of his jaw and then in the ribs under his arm. At that point the Al-Bhed swung wide with a backhand, and Barthello ducked under it, whereupon his opponent tried to grab him. The referee whistled, but he didn't try to get involved. The Al-Bhed fighter had Barthello's head locked in his arms, but Barthello took hold of his legs and lifted him up, and then shrugged him off the back of his mighty shoulders. The Al-Bhed fighter went crashing down and rolling through the sand. When he got back up, Barthello was facing him with his guard up, but the Al-Bhed charged forward and tackled him full force. They were wrestling in the sand then, and the referee whistled repeatedly and loudly. Neither one of them stopped, until Barthello put the Al-Bhed fighter in a chokehold and submitted him. After the Al-Bhed fighter tapped out, Barthello released him and then swiftly got onto his feet, keeping up his guard just in case. The crowd was in a total uproar. They booed their own fighter and cheered for Barthello.

"I think you two are done for the day." The referee said as he raised Barthello's hand up in the air and declared him the winner. Barthello simply nodded in acceptance. He drained a whole gallon jug of water mixed with yucca nectar, and watched a couple more fights before the matches were ended and the crowds moved over to watch the dune ball games commence. Tidus and Barthello went to where the teams were assembling, and they were allowed to enter on the same side. They were given blue armbands, and the opposing team wore yellow bands wrapped around their upper arms. The kid with the skull and scimitars bandana was on their team, apparently as the captain. He strode over to meet them.

"What's your name?" he asked them.

"I'm Barthello."

"Tidus."

"Alright, good to meet you. My name's Jarvis. Nice fighting earlier, Tidus. I didn't expect you to turn the table on me so suddenly. Now, the objective here is to get hold of the ball and run it down the field, and get it into their net past their goalie. Pass it if you have to, tackle them if you need to. Guard whoever has the ball on our side, and help us get them close enough to shoot or run the ball in. You played blitzball at Luca, if I recall correctly?" He asked.

"Yeah, that's right. I helped the Aurochs win the tournament." Tidus confirmed.

"Aye, that was some good sport, I remember. Well, this is the same deal, but on land. I guess I should say, in the sand. You gotta make it up the sand dune to get to their net, unless you think you can throw the ball uphill fast enough and accurate enough to make a score. The goal is about seven feet high and twelve wide. It's good size, but from a distance it's easy to fall short, especially in the chaos that usually develops around ya. Let's get ready, boys." Jarvis said.

They went onto the field then, and the referees made their preparations. The team across from them was full of muscular and athletic young Al-Bhed men. There was the clanging of the bell, and the team opposing them kicked the ball across the field and into their midst. Tidus and Barthello joined the defensive line forming in front of Jarvis as he caught the ball, and they began sprinting across the sandy field. They clashed very soon with the swiftly charging opposition. Tidus tackled the first rival team member in his reach and they both rolled over in the hot sand. The rest of his team charged onward, and Jarvis ran behind Barthello in an attempt to take a shot. They bounded up hill, and there they were set upon by three more opponents, who all jumped on Barthello together. Jarvis threw the ball then, but the goalie caught it and hurled it back to one of his own team mates, who intercepted it seamlessly and then started dashing for the goal. Tidus sprang back to his feet and went sprinting to tackle the ball carrier. He caught him, but there was a brutal pileup on him immediately, and everyone was getting bruised and bloodied.

Tidus noticed that the referees didn't call for them to stop. Rather, his own team mates fought until they had pulled the ball free and then they ran with it across the field. He got back up and prepared to make a move. The rival goalie caught the ball yet again, and threw it back to one of his teammates. Tidus charged to intercept him, but this time he was blindsided by an opponent and hurled to the ground.

"Damn… these kids like to play rough!" He muttered while gasping for breath, and he slowly rose to his feet again. The opposing team scored a goal by forcing their way into the net. At that point the referees began whistling and recovered the ball. They restarted both teams in the middle of the field, and this time the referee threw the ball up into the air and then quickly left the field. Before the ball had even come back down, there was already a pileup and a huge brawl. Tidus sprang over them and grabbed the ball, and then he dashed with all the energy he had left toward the goal. He actually managed to evade the other team members, but as he drew near the net the goalie actually charged out to tackle him. He jumped over the goalie and rolled across the sand, throwing the ball into the net as he fell. To his great surprise, the referees blew their whistle and shouted "goal!"

The two teams were tied, and Jarvis came running up the dune to congratulate Tidus. They all slowly shuffled back to their own side of the field, and prepared for another round. This time the fighting was more intense, and yet everyone on the field was slower and obviously exhausted. Barthello got hold of the ball and began fighting his way across the field. Many times his opponents tried to tackle him but he refused to give up the ball or to be taken down. He was slowing, however, and the heat of the sand and the desert sun was clearly taking its toll. He was covered in sweat, dust and sand, and his huge muscles glimmered with saltine rivers gushing off of him. He shouted then for Jarvis, and hurled the ball across the field to him. Jarvis took it, and Tidus backed him as they dashed across the field, evading or overpowering their rivals. When they came near the goal, Jarvis tossed the ball to Tidus and then tackled the goalie. Tidus threw the ball in, and immediately all the whistles were blown and the kettle bell was ringing, and crowds were cheering and blasting horns. Jarvis embraced him excitedly.

"You did it! We won!" He shouted. Tidus was a bit confused.

"Wait, really? It's over already? That was only three points total…" Tidus said in puzzlement.

"Well how many more rounds do you think you can take of this game? That's how it is, friend. Dune ball is a three round sport. Let's get some water before we pass out." Jarvis said with a smile, slapping Tidus' shoulder. They all stumbled off the field then, parched and exhausted. Dusk was just beginning then, and they saw the Al-Bhed people stacking up piles of brush and wood and old boxes to burn atop the sand dunes. Tidus went to the nearest table on the side of the field and grabbed a big glass jug of water. He poured some of it over his shoulders and chest to wash off the sand. Rikku was soon in front of him, with a contented smile on her youthful face.

"Great job out there!" She said with cheer.

"Thanks Babe… I think I'm done for the day." He said, still gasping for breath, and he took a long swig from the water jug.

"Well there's nothing else to do now, except eat and drink, and party!" She said. Tidus nodded.

"Good idea; I'm gonna eat everything in sight." He said ravenously. He drank the rest of the jug, then clanked it upon the table and went with Rikku back toward the city. Barthello came off the field last, walking slowly and with heavy breaths. As he walked to the now empty table, he heard a feminine voice calling to him.

"Hey, Barthello! Looking for this?" She asked. He turned and saw that it was Paine, holding a jug of water and a towel. He made a double take as he saw her. He stared dumbfounded upon her slender, feminine figure, and the contrast of her pale skin and black dress.

She walked over to him and handed him the jug of water, and he almost forgot to uncap it and drink until she walked behind him and used the towel to wipe off his back. She worked her way around to his chest as he drank. He soon emptied the gallon jug and looked down upon her as she cleaned his rippling muscles and lean midriff.

"You did well on the field today. You should relax and come to the bonfires with us." She invited him. Barthello nodded.

"That's an idea. Maybe I should." He agreed.

"Go wash up first." She said.

"Yeah, definitely." Barthello said. They walked back to the mainstreet of the town, and they saw another competition still underway. It was a contest of swordsmanship, using wooden swords. Auron was there in the ring, facing against a middle-aged Al-Bhed swordsman, one of great skill. They were both facing each other, holding their weapons low, but nonetheless ready to strike in a flash. They looked as if they had already been there for a while by now. Tidus and Rikku watched the fight as well. The Al-Bhed swordsman made a move then, his last move. Auron countered it and landed a blown on his shoulder, and he groaned in pain and shock. A whistle sounded then. The match was over. Auron and the Al-Bhed bowed to each other, and then left the ring. As Auron cast his gaze upon Barthello, he saluted him briefly. Barthello returned the gesture, then he and Paine both went on back to the hangar. Auron walked through the crowd then, until he saw someone familiar step in front of his path. It was Lulu. She wore a red minidress, and her long black hair fell free behind her bare shoulders. Her arms and legs were bare, and she wore black high-heeled shoes. Her pale skin glowed in the dusk light, and she smiled at him.

"You saw all that, did you now?" He asked with a contented grin. She nodded.

"You do seem younger now, even in the way that you move. You did well." She complimented him. Auron chuckled and took hold of her chin gently, and he kissed her there in front of everyone. Tidus and Rikku caught sight of them, and they glanced upon each other with amusement and surprise. Auron and Lulu didn't notice them, but rather walked out onto the sand together as the fires began to light up on the dunes.

"Did you know about the two of them?" Tidus asked in shock and bewilderment. Rikku shook her head.

"I had no idea, actually… it's so… weird." She said, mirroring his amazement. They went to Rikku's family's flat in the upper levels of the main complex of the city then, and Tidus took a shower. When he got out he found a fresh set of clothes set out for him. There was a pair of white cargo shorts and a brightly colored shirt, the major color of which was dark purple, and a phoenix of red and gold was emblazoned on the front of it. He put these on and then joined Rikku in the living room, from where they set out to meet the others atop the dunes. Night was beginning to settle in now, and the firelight glowed on the sands in the darkening terrain. Music was playing over the desert, from Al-Bhed stereos receiving the sphere waves from the city's station.

Tidus and Rikku joined her family and began the feast. Cid had made the final preparations and now he joined them as well. Auron and Lulu were together in the shadows near one of the more distant fireplaces. Paine and Barthello had not returned, however. They were still aboard the Fahrenheit. Barthello had gotten out of the shower and just put on his trousers when he heard a knock on his door. He answered it to find Paine waiting eagerly outside.

"I'll be ready in just a minute." He told her.

"Can I come in?" She asked, a bit insistently. He let her in, and then went to reach for his tunic. He felt her hands on his back.

"You got a lot of bruises today." She remarked. Barthello nodded.

"The Al-Bhed are not soft when it comes to sport, I'll attest to that." He said. She wrapped her arms around his midriff and hugged up against his back, pressing her cheek to his shoulder blade, just behind his heart. The sensation her skin gave him caused his urges to flare up. The fighting that day had already inflamed his senses.

"Sorry, but with my leg wounded I don't think I'll be up for dancing or strolling around." She said. "Do you think we should call it a night early?" She asked. Barthello grinned.

"Sure, I think we could do that." He said, as he turned around and looked down upon her. Her white skin radiated, and her eyes glowed like red amber. She gazed at him with an alluring expression.

"So, do you feel like getting some food and relaxing?" She asked. Barthello nodded with a grin.

"Maybe later…" He said, and he stroked her dark hair and the side of her pale face. Paine smiled widely then, almost nervously. Abruptly he leaned down to press a heavy kiss on her mouth and wrapped his muscular arms around her waist. He felt her quivering against him instantly. She was so taken by surprise that as soon as his lips parted from hers she gasped for air, but he kissed her again immediately. She turned away to catch her breath, while he kissed her cheek and neck. He lifted her up easily and held her in his arms, and she giggled while he kissed her body.

"I love you…" She gasped as he pulled off her dress.

"And I love you," He said while he grabbed hold of her collar and kissed her face and her neck. She fell back onto his bed, and pulled him along with her.

As the last rays of the sun faded, the moonrise swiftly began. It was a full, pale-white moon, that glowed pure and bright over the desert. Auron and Lulu stood alone by the fireside furthest from town. They watched the others and listened to them talk and sing, and they saw Tidus and Rikku dancing along with the rest of the Al-Bhed youths. Auron looked upon Lulu then. She smiled with contentment, and the firelight gleamed in her eyes and glowed upon her face and breasts. She did look truly beautiful then, and lovely in all respects.

"Oh, to be young and know fresh love, when none of the thorns of life have begun to sting yet." She remarked happily. Auron loomed closer to her and put one arm around her.

"You know we're not that old, yet." He reminded her with a chuckle. She turned to him blushing, and beaming with joy.

"Nights like this make me feel like one of them again. Usually I'm glad that I'm not, but occasionally I wish that I was. It was fun, after all." She said, nodding toward the youths.

"Having fun isn't just for the kids nowadays, is it?" Auron said, and he leaned over to kiss her. She giggled and wrapped her arms around him as she continued to kiss him. Auron took her up in his arms then and carried her away into the dark, under the pale moonlight.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11: The Valiant Dead**

In the morning after the full moon festival, the sand dunes were dotted by piles of black ash and white cinders. A few smoldering orange embers remained here and there. There was a slight breeze, and the sunrise began to break on the horizon as a golden radiance invading the nautical morning twilight.

Auron woke up in the sands down in the lowlands below the dunes, under canvas covered shelter by some pile of machina junk. He found Lulu lying cuddled up on his chest. He laid there for a while, content to let her sleep, but soon she began to stir and awake. She lifted herself up and gazed down upon him with sleepy eyes and a dreamy smile. She embraced him tightly once more.

"That was amazing." She whispered. She rested her face upon his chest and fell back asleep for a moment.

"Indeed, it was, Peach Blossom." Auron said with a relaxed sigh. "But you know, we're leaving today." He reminded her. She murmured something unintelligible, but didn't move.

Across the dunes, Tidus and Rikku were cuddled together beside the ashes of one of the bonfires. The little waves of heat that emanated from it had kept them warm enough through the night. The sound of the loud speakers throughout the machina city began to echo over the dunes, and stirred them from their sleep. It was Cid's voice on the megaphones.

"Rise and shine, pilgrims! Your ship is about to depart!" He said, with his typical boisterousness. Rikku and Tidus snapped awake and began stretching together on the sand. Rikku climbed up over Tidus and kissed his neck and his face, and finally his lips. Tidus opened his eyes and saw her green irises beaming into him.

"Pops just doesn't understand how to be subtle, ya know…" She remarked with a sigh as her father's voice continued to call for them, louder than before. Finally after a few minutes he stopped.

"I totally blacked out last night… what happened?" He asked, groaning as he stretched out his arms and his back. Rikku pointed to the sand beside them, where there was a pile of empty bottles and dark-husked fruits cut open at the top with straws protruding from them.

"That happened… some of the boys snuck over some powerful spirits for us." She said. Tidus shook his head.

"Naughty girl…" he teased her, poking her nose with his finger.

"It was your idea!" She retorted. Tidus laughed then. She giggled, and they both rolled over and grabbed a couple vessels and fruit husks that weren't completely empty yet, and they drained them. After they got some fire back in them, they both got up and started swaggering down the slopes of the dune on the way back into the city.

In the airship, Barthello awoke in his chamber. He was laying over Paine, and his face rested on her chest. He could hear her heartbeat pulsing in his ear. As he started to get up, suddenly she wrapped her arms and legs around him and held him close. He heard her sigh deeply in contentment. Finally he gave in and stayed in bed with her.

Eventually Auron and Lulu got up and sorted out their dishevelled hair and clothes, and then went into town and down to the hangar. When they approached the airship, they saw Cid and Tidus and Rikku, and Pacce as well. Cid greeted them.

"Slept in, Auron? I never thought you'd be the one to come in late." Cid remarked with a chuckle.

"Is everyone else ready?" Auron asked, shrugging off Cid's insinuation. Cid shook his head.

"No. Isaaru and Maroda are out on the sand dunes still, according to little Pacce here." Cid informed them. Auron was taken aback by this suggestion.

"They went out to the party last night?" He asked in shock. Pacce shook his head and spoke up.

"No! Isaaru woke up early this morning. We all went out for a walk, and he didn't want to come back. Maroda sent me to tell everyone." Pacce said. As he spoke, the two old sages came striding down the ramp out of the airship.

"I'm going out to find him. Wait for me, Cid." Auron told him. Cid nodded. Morihei spoke up then.

"Take us with you, Sir Auron. I believe Isaaru will need some convincing." He said with his raspy old voice. Auron beckoned for them to follow him, and then he turned and walked out of the hangar with the two old gurus. They made their way up onto the nearest sand dune and scanned the area. Finally they saw two figures in the distance to the east. They made their way over the dunes and valleys until finally they reached the scene, where Isaaru stood beside the blackened sand and ashes of an extinguished bonfire. Maroda approached them, while Isaaru faced away to the east.

"Sir Auron, I tried to tell him we would be late. He doesn't want to leave for some reason. He won't really tell me why." Maroda told him. Auron tapped a hand on Maroda's shoulder and then walked past toward Isaaru. He called out to the young summoner.

"Isaaru! It's time to go. We need to reach the northern isles and then finish the pilgrimage." He said to him. Isaaru turned slightly and looked over his shoulder. His face was sullen and his eyes looked dim. Isaaru looked away then. Morihei and Musashi shuffled over toward Isaaru then, and Auron waited with Maroda.

"Have you changed your mind, young summoner?" Morihei asked him. He saw Isaaru tense up, visibly seething.

"No, Sage Morihei. I just… needed time to think." He said.

"What are your thoughts?" Morihei asked.

"I feel that I've acted wrongly. I killed men, and I should have known better. I should not have gone to Bevelle. I should have finished the pilgrimage instead. Now, I don't want to go to the northern isles. I want to go to Zanarkand, and be done with it." He said gloomily, and he stared and the ground.

"If you go now, you will not win. Certainly you will not destroy Sin, you will only subdue it for another brief Calm. Surely if you continue your pilgrimage, there is a good chance that we can put an end to Sin once and for all." Morihei warned him. Isaaru groaned faintly, in anguish.

"Don't burden yourself with anger and woe. The men who died at Bevelle were victims of their own Karma. You acted in your own defense, and the aid of your companions. There is no wrong in it, and no shame to be had." Musashi assured him firmly.

"Isn't there? How can I say that they deserved to die? I don't want to take the lives of others, I have no right to. I want to fight Sin, and bring the Calm." Isaaru reaffirmed determinedly.

"You must do your duty, not what you want to do. It is incumbent upon you to bring the Eternal Calm, if you can do so, and we believe you can." Musashi retorted sternly. Isaaru turned to them with a face marked by anxiety, heavy with shame and despair. He fell on his knees before them.

"I'm sorry, Sage. I shouldn't have allowed my feelings to overcome me… but I can't do this unless it's the right thing to do. I vowed to end suffering, I can't be the one to inflict it on others." Isaaru said, as he began to weep. Morihei sat down on the sands then, beside Isaaru. In an aged and steady voice, calling upon all his wits and ability, he began to deliver his teaching.

"Look there, at the ashes. See the embers that still remain, glowing faintly, about to die out, extinguished by the wind. As they are, so are we. Our lives glow brightly in our youth, and fade out in old age. And the hotter we burn, the faster we fade. The whole cosmos is this way. You see it in the sun and the stars. The nature of this whole universe is a constant slow fading, out into some other realm that we do not see, and ignited by a higher world that we do not know. We only know our own burning through life, our own yearnings. But the truth is, that we are only the thoughts and memories of some higher realm. We are only the fading memories of some cosmic divine mind, and Sin is only the fears and dark thoughts of the cosmos. These thoughts were molded together into one, and that is Sin. Those same thoughts and spirits which constitute the fiends have been coalesced into Sin, and Sin can absorb the fiends, and the fiends can also bleed out from Sin. But like us, all are fading. So you see, young summoner, even if you defeat Sin, the darkness of the universe remains, it must even out and reach a balance with the rest of the universe. That is your task. It is time for the balance to be restored, for Sin to come to an end. All things come to an end. Only the eternal spirit remains, because it is unmanifest and ever-living. It is the life force itself. This is the one thing that lasts, and will never end. When this universe fades away and collapses, then another will spring up and begin anew. The cycle will complete itself and start again, just as we die and are reborn. That life force flows through each of us, in truth it is us. These forms are only temporary, only an expression of the ever-moving and changing thoughts of the universe, of the fluctuating Divine Mind. Flow freely then, Isaaru, and be free. Does a drop of water resist flowing with the tide, or the river? No, so then do not resist the life force. Rather comprehend it, and follow it.

We cling to this world out of fear, when we do not realize who and what we truly are. We fear what we do, and what may happen, because we do not understand the immortal life force. But in truth, none of us have cause to fear. None of us are harmed by the world, or by each other. We can only harm ourselves through ignorance and fear. But the nature of life is our own nature, and it is eternal. Therefore, fight Isaaru, and complete the cycle! Once understood, this knowledge will grant you the power to conquer Sin. Do not fear, and do not yield to shame. The only true shame is in ignorance." Morihei told him.

"But even if that is true, how does it help me to overcome my feelings? How can I understand this, when my own knowledge is limited?" Isaaru asked, with doubt lingering in his heart.

"Become more observant, more meditative. Understand by logic, that this is and must be true. See it everywhere in nature, in life, and even in others. You will notice, by and by, that there are even other people who intuitively know this. Their bravery and strength derives from it. They are animated by the eternal life force and its virtue, its will to grow and prosper, and conquer. Observe their virtues and emulate them. Know yourself, and understand the source and true nature of your own desires and feelings. Then you will see them for what they are… temporary, and ever changing." Morihei answered him confidently. Finally Isaaru nodded, and he bowed low before the sages. Musashi took hold of his arm and lifted him up then.

"Come along, young summoner. We have a date with destiny." Musashi said. They joined Auron and Maroda, and walked back to the city. As they strode along, Isaaru stepped up beside Auron and spoke.

"Forgive me, Sir Auron. I shouldn't have behaved that way. I did not mean any disrespect to you. It has been the honor of my life to have you for my guardian." Isaaru said apologetically. Auron shook his head.

"Don't apologize, Isaaru. Keep your head up. We all know the pilgrimage isn't easy. We're here to support each other. If you ever need to talk, just seek me out. Don't isolate yourself." Auron told him good naturedly. Isaaru nodded gratefully.

"Thank you, Sir Auron. I'll make you proud." He vowed determinedly. They went on through the city together. Soon they came to the hangar and met with their comrades, and Cid hurried up into the airship when he saw them approaching. The engines began revving up as Auron and his companions walked up the ramp into the cargo bay. The crew raised the ramp behind them, and they made their way to the control room. Auron stepped up to the sphere oscillo-finder, where Cid had projected a map of the northern isles above Wilderia. He called on Auron immediately.

"Auron, do we have everybody on board now?" He asked impatiently.

"I have everyone from the dunes, but I haven't seen Barthello or Paine yet." Auron said.

"Paine's not in her room, last time I checked. Barthello has his door locked, so I'm guessing he must be in there. I'll unlock the door if we need to check up on him. Does anybody know where Paine might have gone? Rikku, wasn't she out with you last night?" Cid asked. Lulu and Rikku shot nervous, cautionary glances at Auron as soon as Cid mentioned unlocking Barthello's door. Auron chuckled quietly.

"We have everyone we need. Let's go, Cid." He concluded.

"Oh, I'll go find Paine. She came back to the ship early last night because of her leg… I'm sure she must have gone to the medic station. I'll go there first…" Rikku suggested, convincingly enough that her father thought nothing of it. Cid merely shrugged.

"Alright boys, prepare for lift off! We're gonna get started heading for Cale-Albia. I'll need someone to get Barthello up here at some point to tell us where we should land." He said as he turned back to the control panel. Rikku immediately hurried out of the control and down the hall. Lulu and Auron smiled knowingly at each other. They walked out of the control room and went to the upper deck. Lulu walked up to the windows and watched as the ship lifted gracefully into the air and slid out of the hangar. Auron stepped up beside her, and they beheld the desert passing steadily by.

"She finally got what she wanted." Lulu remarked contentedly.

"So it seems. I wonder what it's done to Barthello. I hope he hasn't gotten any radical ideas. We really could use his help at the end, I've got a feeling." Auron pondered aloud, and he seemed a bit troubled.

"Do you really think he would quit? I don't think Paine would… surely not?" Lulu asked. Auron shrugged.

"I doubt it, but I suppose we'll see. He'll be conflicted though, I'm sure." Auron said.

"Girls complicate things, don't we?" She teased him. Auron nodded with a smirk. He stroked her hair with his fingers, and kissed the side of her face.

"Things won't be easy, for sure. I hope you realize that." He forewarned her. Lulu's joyous expression was cracked by dismay then.

"I know, but for now I need something to keep me going. Even if it's only for a while. Don't you? How do you know that this is what you truly want to do?" She asked him.

"It's what I have to do, there's no way around it. I owe it to Jecht, anyway. He's suffered enough." Auron said as he turned his gaze back through the window and into the distant sands of Bikanel. Soon they were left behind, however, and they crossed over the azul waves of the western ocean.

"Do you think there's anything left of his true self?" She asked him.

"There's only one way to know for sure… if he comes out to face me, then yes. I have a feeling he will. I don't think he could resist one final match. That was always the deepest nature of his spirit. He lived for battle, and for camaraderie." Auron reckoned intuitively.

"What will you say to him?" She asked. Auron shrugged again.

"There's not much more that should be said between us. Each of us knows how the other truly feels. Maybe, 'goodbye', is all that should be said. Really, a sword has its own voice, and it faithfully translates the language of a man's heart, and pronounces it visibly into the world, with every flash and every whistle through the air. It's a more honest language than ours." Auron related poetically. Lulu gazed at him with love and passion burning in her amber eyes. She treasured him then, as a truly unique soul, the likes of which she had never before known.

For most of the day the airship flew over the sea, and some of the outer coasts of Wilderia. They were swiftly approaching their destination. Barthello had been called up to the control room then, and he joined Auron and Cid at the oscillo-finder.

"I hope you're feeling better now. The captain needs some information on where we should land." Auron said to Barthello. The muscular guardian nodded, a bit reserved and anxious in his expression.

"We should go to the village furthest in the north, by the slopes of Mount Eragal. It's a little port town called Heargborough. My family will greet us there, and welcome us into their home for as long as we choose to stay." Barthello told them. Cid nodded.

"Alright then, we'll be heading to the north. Shouldn't be too much longer now." He informed them.

While the others were in the control room, Rikku sneaked down the hallway and into Barthello's room. Paine was there, sprawled on his bed. She saw Rikku enter, but she didn't seem to be bothered. Her face expressed a sublime smile. Rikku stepped over to the bedside.

"You know everyone is wondering where you're at… I covered for you pretty well I think." Rikku informed her.

"Thanks. I owe you." Paine said, but her tone was perfectly relaxed. She clearly wasn't concerned.

"So, how was it?" Rikku asked with a mischievous smile. Paine sighed with joy.

"It was amazing… absolutely perfect!" She answered.

"I knew it! Tell me what happened!" She begged greedily. Paine smiled and winked at her.

"Alright, just between you and me…" Paine relinquished, and she began a sultry story. They chatted for awhile, for as long as they thought they could get away with it, and then Rikku crept back out and went to her own quarters.

A couple hours later, just before sunset, the airship hovered over the forests and plains nearby Mount Eragal, the tallest peak of the mountain range on the north coast of the island, and the one standing apart from the others. It loomed over the village by the northeastern coast, and a thick forest surrounded its base. Some rocky hills, fields and sparse woods patched around the southern plains below the village, and these were broken by another thick forest in the middle of the island. Cid lowered the airship down onto an open field of golden prairie grass, a couple miles south of the village. It was the best location he could find for a proper landing. Auron gathered up all of his companions and they went down the ramp onto the field together. Cid and his crew began securing the area. As Barthello and Auron led them all northward, suddenly they saw figures moving swiftly out of the village and coming down a white gravel road toward them. These people were riding on quadruped beasts, horses, and giant, powerful stallions at that.

"What are they riding?" Rikku asked curiously.

"Horses. We don't use chocobos up north. They don't like the winter weather. Some of the southern tribes use them, and other mounts as well. The Boru clan prefers horses, though." He explained. As he spoke, the clattering hoofs of the riders drew closer, and the neighing of their mounts could be heard. Rikku and Paine giggled at the sound. Barthello stepped up in front of them all and made himself clearly visible.

"Are we welcome here?" Auron asked him. Barthello nodded.

"My kinsmen will not refuse to host my guests, but you must wait until I've introduced you. Otherwise they may think that you are pirates." Barthello cautioned them.

"Pirates? Do you have a problem with them around here?" Cid asked. Before Barthello could answer, the first of the riders came galloping into the field and slowed to a stop when they recognized him. They waved and saluted him, calling out joyfully.

"Barthello, is that you?" One of the men asked as he dropped down out of his saddle. He was a tall and handsome man, with a shaved head and a long blonde beard, broad shouldered and muscular. All of his companions were as well.

"Yes Brock, it's me!" Barthello said, and he went to embrace his kinsman and shake hands with all his people.

"We never expected you to return… I thought for certain that your pilgrimage would be successful. Am I to understand now, that the Calm has returned to Spira? Did someone else finish before you?" Brock asked him. Barthello shook his head.

"Not quite. These are my companions, and we are still on the pilgrimage. Two sages from the desert island have advised us to come here, to Mount Eragal." Barthello explained. Brock looked upon them all with a suspicious gaze.

"Surely you don't mean… to the great tomb? They know that foreigners are not permitted there… and even if they should go, they may not return." Brock forewarned.

"I know, but we have no choice. I must speak with your father, and with the elders. They must approve or deny their consent." Barthello said.

"Fair enough, my friend. I shall leave it to them. I know you wouldn't have come if it wasn't important." Brock said, and he mounted up on his horse again. "I'll go to tell my father of this, and gather the elders. I'll tell your family that you have returned."

Brock and Barthello saluted each other then, and the riders swiftly took off back to the village. Auron led the companions onto the road and to the village. The air was cool and tranquil, and smelled like the north seas. This was the warmer part of the year still, toward the close of summer, but it was already cooler than most of Spira. Soon they neared the outskirts of the village, and saw log cabins and wooden longhouses, with wood shingled roofs and dragons or horses carved on each end of their ridge beams. Often the doors and roof shingles were painted red, green or blue. The buildings themselves were usually unpainted, or sometimes accented with knotwork patterns that were colored red or gold. The whole village had a very earthy, organic atmosphere to it. The smell of smoked fish and venison, beer and baked bread filled the air. Some incense burned at the shrine on the north side of the village.

Barthello took them to the big longhouse in the middle of the village, and they went up the stone steps of the rock foundation to reach the porch and the double doors of the front entrance. Brock opened the doors and came out to meet them once they arrived. An older man and woman, both of them gray haired, came out to meet them as well. They smiled as soon as they saw Barthello.

"You've come home, son!" The old man said. Barthello went to embrace both of them.

"Are you done with your travels now, my boy?" His mother asked him, with hope in her eyes. Barthello hesitated then.

"I wish I was. No mother, I have much still to do in the world, before I can rest." He told her.

"Who are these people you've brought with you?" His father asked. Barthello introduced them then.

"Please meet Sir Auron, he is a famous guardian in Spira. It has been my honor to serve with him. This is Isaaru, a dear friend of mine, and the summoner whom we have sworn to protect on his pilgrimage. We must speak together later, when there is time; I would like you to get to know him. Let me introduce the others too, they are all good people." Barthello said, as he proceeded with introductions. "Everyone, this is my father Thurmond, and my mother Sinead."

After all of them had met and been introduced, Brock spoke up to usher them inside the hall.

"My father, the chieftain of the Boru clan, wishes to speak with you all. Please step inside, and sit at our table." He welcomed them.

They went in through the wide double doors, into an illustrious and rich hall, with a long table sitting ready for them. The chieftain sat in the head seat at the far end of the table. Brock went to his right hand and spoke with him, telling him who these visitors were. The chieftain of the Boru was a big man, broad shouldered and barrel-chested, and very tall. He was old and bald, with a long gray beard. His blue eyes seemed to radiate an upbeat mood, but also a stern mentality. He looked over them all as they took seats at his table. Brock motioned for Auron, Isaaru and the two sages to sit nearest to the chieftain. Brock spoke up then, to introduce the chieftain to them all.

"Welcome to the hall of the Lord of the Boru clan, Beorg, son of Bestla." Brock announced. With a deep, masculine voice, the chieftain spoke to them.

"So you must be Auron, the famous swordsman from Spira. You are in charge of this pilgrimage, aren't you? It's interesting to me… I heard you disappeared after Lord Braska finished the last pilgrimage. Where have you been, might I ask?" Beorg asked him.

"I took a vacation." Auron said with a smirk. The chieftain gave him a serious look for a moment, and everyone fell silent, uneasily waiting for his reply. All of a sudden, he released a boisterous, thundering laugh that filled up the hall. He slapped Auron's shoulder with his big, powerful hand, and called for drinks for all of them.

"Ladies, bring us all some beer! It's good to have guests that can entertain me for a change! Haha! What good fun. So tell me, is this scrawny boy your summoner? What would bring you here, away from your pilgrimage?" He asked.

"Actually, this is part of our pilgrimage, if you'll give us your permission, my Lord." Isaaru said in a cautious tone. The old chieftain gave him a curious gaze, and then looked to Auron and Barthello.

"Bart, my boy, I'm glad to see you home. I'm sure your folks are too. But what is the meaning of all this, exactly?" He continued to question them.

"My chieftain, we have come to take Isaaru to the sacred sites of our people, in the hopes that the Valiant Dead may join our quest. We will need their help in the final battle against Sin." Barthello said. Beorg smiled at them then.

"Haha! I think you shall find that you've wasted a trip, dear boys. He is not one of our people; the Valor will not abide with him. But even if he should somehow be found worthy, it would do him no good. The Valiant Dead will not leave our shores. They fight for the people of Cale-Albia, and to defend Wulfgar's tomb. You know that, Barthello. Why didn't you tell them?" Beorg asked indignantly.

"We are aware of that, Lord Beorg, but we think that this young man possesses a heart that is pure, and our need is dire. The time has come for Sin to finally be done away with for good, and much in the world will change." said the old sage, Morihei. Beorg looked to the sage with bewilderment in his deep blue eyes.

"They have not left this island since they came to it, a thousand years ago. What makes you think they will come when you call them?" Beorg asked.

"Donar came to me, on the Thunderplains, when I called on him for aid. We were in need of rescue, and he answered." Barthello informed the old chieftain. Beorg was awestruck then, and he gazed at Barthello with widened eyes. Paine spoke up to reassure him.

"It true, we all saw it." She said. Beorg blustered in response.

"Of course it's true, girl! A Boru man never lies!" He barked. Morihei spoke up then, to try to calm the chieftain.

"Surely this means that Barthello is a warrior pure of heart. We will need such qualities to overcome Sin for the final time. Isaaru is a summoner of great skill, and his intentions are of the noblest sort. We have to try, my lord. Please, will you not grant us this opportunity?" Morihei asked him humbly.

"Intentions are one thing, but to know what you're doing is another. The power of old Wulfgar and his warriors is not to be trifled with. They can destroy you, if they see fit. Our people are bound to them in a sacred covenant, but outsiders will not understand that. You must show the proper reverence for them, or else you profane the sacred sites! How can you understand the love that our people share, with our ancestors?" The chieftain demanded.

"Only through enlightenment, and understanding the heart. Isaaru knows this." Morihei replied gently.

"How can I trust you? I know that you're Barthello's friends, and he is a noble warrior, but this is a very serious matter." Beorg said. Just then another figure entered the dining room from one of the halls of the longhouse. He was a wizened old sage, dressed in green robes and carrying a carved wooden staff. He had long sandy brown hair and a long brown beard, glinting with strands of silver. His eyes were placid and colored bright gray, almost like steel. He spoke with a calm, baritone voice.

"Perhaps I may be of help in that regard, my lord. I can speak with these sages, and hear their case. I can assess the spiritual attainment of their summoner as well." He said. Beorg looked over to the green-robed skald and nodded slowly in agreement.

"Alright then, Ruach. You can see to it. If you deem them worthy, then they may carry on their pilgrimage here with my consent. I'll trust your judgment on the matter. For now, let us eat and drink. We'll dwell on more pleasant matters while we can." He decided, and he lifted up his tankard and saluted his guests. "Welcome to our island, my new friends. You will find it is beautiful, and not without dangers. As long as you are amongst my people, you will be safe and well fed. Don't venture far without an escort. Enjoy yourselves, and ask for anything you wish. I offer my hospitality to you while you stay." Beorg said generously.

They all drank and ate together in the chieftain's longhouse, while he spoke and laughed with Auron and Barthello. Isaaru and the sages left the table early to go with Ruach into the study of the longhouse. Paine, Lulu and Rikku sat by the hearth, and their faces glowed in the firelight. Paine watched Barthello as he spoke with his father in hushed tones, and Thurmond gazed across the hall at her with curiosity and suspicion in his eyes. He shook his head at Barthello then, and got up to leave the hall, taking Sinead with him. Paine glanced dejectedly to Lulu and Rikku then.

"That looked bad." Paine said, and her voice cracked.

"Who knows? You should ask him." Rikku said. Paine sighed deeply, and got up to walk over to the table. She sat down beside Barthello. His face was solemn.

"So what did he say, Your father?" She asked anxiously. Barthello spoke in a hushed tone.

"He says it's not proper, because you're not one of our people. He says we can't be legally married by our customs, because you have no parents to bless off on the union. He's upset with me for suggesting it, instead of allowing him to arrange a marriage to a woman from our clan." Barthello told her. Paine gazed at him with moistening eyes, and a single tear rolled down her cheek.

"So what can we do?" She asked him. Barthello glanced around to see that the others weren't watching them. Then he spoke.

"I don't know. I'll have to speak with my parents again. Maybe I should also speak with the chieftain, and with Sage Ruach. They might know of some way to help us. Until then, we can't stay together, or be seen together without others to escort us. You should stay close to Auron and the sages while you're here; it's not proper for a young woman to roam around in a strange place, and certainly not after dusk. Tell the other women this also." Barthello cautioned her.

"Why do I get the feeling that your clan doesn't respect women?" She asked him indignantly.

"We have more respect for women than any other community I've been to. We just expect them to earn it, and to keep it. It's the same way for men. I can't be seen with you too much, or people will start asking questions." Barthello explained.

"Alright. Just hurry up and find a way for us to be together." She insisted.

"Of course I will, Loveable." He said, showing her a faint and tender smile. He clasped her hand under the table. For a while longer they sat together, pretending to eat and drink as they spoke only in a casual manner. Soon their companions began to retire, as a few servants showed them to the quarters that had been prepared for them. Barthello went home to his family's house. Paine, Rikku and Lulu were all given a large room together, away from the men.

"These people have some interesting customs… and some interesting ideas about love and marriage." Paine remarked with frustration and weariness in her voice.

"They've only just met you, give it a little more time." Lulu advised her.

"We don't have much of that left. They're both burning to finish the pilgrimage." Paine replied.

"I can't believe that I'm not allowed to see Tidus right now! Tomorrow night we're staying in the airship!" Rikku protested fiercely.

"I suppose that's one way to get around it…" Paine pondered aloud.

"It's also a way for your father to get suspicious… and he'll skin you if he finds out." Lulu forewarned.

"Why do you think I became a thief? Sneaking past him won't be a problem!" Rikku said with a mischievous grin.

"Bad girl…" Lulu said as she poked Rikku's nose with her finger.

"I get it all from Pops." She retorted.

"I bet so, but you know there's a lot of ways to get caught troublemaking with boys, if you're not careful." Lulu cautioned her. Rikku nodded.

"I think we'll get married after the pilgrimage. It should be easier for us. I'll wish you luck, Paine." She said, smiling at her friend. Paine merely nodded, as she was not particularly comforted.

"Don't worry; things will work out for the best." Lulu said, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"I know, I'm just tired from last night and this morning; he really wore me out." Paine revealed to them with a satisfied smirk. Rikku and Lulu laughed in amusement.

"Alright then, girls, we should probably turn in." Lulu concluded, and they all blew out their candles and got into their beds, and soon drifted off into sleep.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12: The Ghost Warrior**

The morning after they arrived on Cale-Albia, the companions awoke to see a brilliant red sunrise pouring over the island.

All of the companions started to awake and got ready for the day. They found their accommodations to be cozy but a touch archaic in style. The girls were led to the ladies' bath chamber in the back of the hall. The tub was a huge wooden barrel, filled with water heated over a fire outside. Rikku gasped and stared at it in dismay. Paine tussled her hair roughly as she stepped past her, taking off her clothes and climbing in.

"It's still a little warm." She said with a contented grin.

"I'm surprised they didn't have us sleep in a barn…" Rikku remarked irritably. Paine and Lulu both laughed.

"It's quaint in a way… reminds me of Besaid. Don't be shy, now." She said as she followed suit and got in herself.

Meanwhile all of the men went into the dining hall for breakfast. The servant maids brought them loaves of dark rye bread and bowls of stew made with carrots, potatoes, chopped celery and boar meat. Next the maids brought smoked salmon and goat cheese, and an apple pie.

"Eat up, lads! I don't want to hear any rumors that the hospitality of my hall has lessened." Beorg commanded them.

"You'll get no complaints from me." Tidus said as he sipped a cup of mead and then dug into his meal.

"Where are the young ladies, then? Sleeping in?" Beorg asked.

"They'll be getting ready for a while." Auron said with a smirk. He chuckled as Beorg burst in uproarious laughter, and Tidus jumped in his seat, startled at the sound.

Only Isaaru and the sages had not gone to breakfast yet. Isaaru awoke in the library of the longhouse, reclined in a cushioned chair with an old book in his lap. It was a grimoire which described the priestly arts and herbalism of the isle, as well as provided a list of shrines and holy sites of the isles, the names of many of the Valiant Dead, and a map which denoted their altars and known haunts. A brief narrative summary of the island's history and some of the cultural articles and customs of its clans was also included. The lantern by which he had been reading had been put out after he fell asleep. He heard the voices of the sages then, and he looked over to the doorway of the library to see them conversing with the green sage, Ruach. When they noticed him awake, they called for him.

"Young summoner, we should go to breakfast with the others. We have a long day ahead of us, from what Ruach tells me." Morihei said to him. Isaaru set the book upon the table next to his chair, and quickly got up. He stretched his back and sighed as he walked out of the library with the three sages.

"You read a bit of the story of my people, didn't you?" Ruach asked Isaaru as they walked along through the halls.

"I did… and I would have read more if I hadn't drifted off. It's a thrilling story; hard to believe that most of Spira has never heard it." Isaaru remarked.

"We don't mind the privacy. You may find yourself falling in love with our land, young summoner, but don't allow her to disarm you. Remember that you have entered a country at war. Currently, a swath of the southeastern coast is occupied by pirates. They've set up a palisaded harbor and docks for themselves… a staging area for an invasion. We've been battling them for almost a year now, but they've proven persistent this time." Ruach said.

"Why are they here? What would they invest such concerted effort to acquire from you?" Musashi asked curiously.

"Rumors of an incredible vault of treasure of course… the hoard of Wulfar and his army. It's nothing new, of course. They have been coming to our island periodically, off and on in historic waves of invasion. All for the memory of a thousand year old tale, that Wulfgar and his companions brought their riches with them to Cale-Albia." Ruach replied.

"Truly? Well then… have they not realized yet that their pursuit is futile?" Musashi asked.

"They've never breached the doors of his tomb; our warriors have always fought them and ultimately forced them from our shores. Often times with the aid of the Valiant Dead themselves. In truth, even if they entered the tomb, they would not emerge again. Wulfgar should not be wakened from his slumber… when he is, the Wild Hunt shall commence, and where it shall end, none may tell for certain." Ruach forewarned them.

"Have you ever seen the tomb for yourself?" Isaaru asked.

"I walk there now and then, as I walk the island and the graves of the fallen. I search for meaning… for the truth of things. Sometimes they speak to me, if I settle myself to listen." Ruach said.

"Will you go into the tomb with us?" Isaaru asked him. Ruach nodded.

"Yes, but not until you are ready. First we go south, to the Landis Cairn. It is an old altar and sacred site. We'll see tonight, if you have what it takes." Ruach said ominously. They entered the hall, and took their seats at the table with their friends. Barthello came to sit with Isaaru, and he had a somber look on his face. Shortly after them, the girls arrived as well and began their meal. Ruach ate lightly, and then got up and went to one corner of the hall to retrieve his lute, with which he began to strum a pleasant string of chords for them all. After they had all eaten their fill, Ruach set aside the lute and took up his staff as he strode to the old chieftain.

"Will you depart now, my skald?" Beorg asked.

"Yes my lord, we shall leave for the south, beyond Danir Grove to the Landis cairn." Ruach told him. The chieftain tilted his head curiously.

"That will take you fairly close to enemy territory… shall I send an escort with you?" He offered.

"Perhaps it would be best. Though we have many in our party who cannot ride. We'll have to take them by chariot, or else go by foot." Ruach supposed.

"Surely that won't do… take my horse, Gulfaxi, and a few chariot teams. How many will you need?" He asked, turning to Auron.

"Perhaps we could take our airship… it would be faster." Auron suggested.

"Bad idea… the pirates on the coast will surely spot you and try to find you." Beorg warned him.

"I won't set foot in such a thing." Ruach said firmly.

"Well, that settles it. So how many then?" Beorg inquired again.

"I'm sure that Brock can ride on his own, but I'll need a ride, along with Lulu, and so will Isaaru and his brother. The youngest one stays here, and the others who are not guardians." Auron said.

"I think we'll go back to the airship, actually…" Rikku blurted out. Lulu and Paine glared at her in disdain.

"Speaking of which, how long is this going to take?" Tidus asked impatiently.

"Why? You have somewhere else to be?" Auron asked indignantly.

"Yeah, Bevelle." Tidus said haughtily. Auron scoffed.

"If you go there, you'll only make things worse and get yourself killed… and probably others as well." Auron said.

"So we should do nothing, then?" Tidus retorted angrily.

"Since you can't do anything useful, that might be best." Auron said bitterly. Tidus immediately got up from his seat and stormed out of the hall. Rikku followed him quickly, and Paine glanced once at Barthello before she too followed after them. Beorg looked at Auron then with a coy smile.

"Do I sense some dissolution in the ranks?" He asked.

"He's not in our company… just a fellow traveler. But if he thinks he can take our ship from us he's mistaken." Auron said determinedly.

"What seems to be the point of contention? Is he not aware that your quest is for all of Spira?" Beorg asked in puzzlement.

"He's aware of nothing but his own ego and desires. This world means nothing to him apparently. No matter… he'll learn by his own errors." Auron said with displeasure in his voice and his face.

"Perhaps you should let him go, Auron. We only need truly selfless companions with us now. We need heroes ready to give up everything for the cause. He drains our morale and damages the spirit of our fellowship." Musashi said seriously, from across the table. Auron nodded.

"I would, but then how will we return to Spira in time?" Auron asked.

"I have a longship, the fastest in all the north, which means all the world. If you are found worthy by the Valor, then I'll shall commission it for your use." Beorg offered him. Auron nodded, but said nothing as he sat with his thoughts.

"I would never refuse your generosity, great chief… but what if we are rejected? Ready or not, we must go to Zanarkand, and we must be there within ten days time." Auron said solemnly.

"We shall find out tonight. Can your little hot-head wait until then?" Ruach asked.

"He'll just have to." Auron said. With that they all rose from their seats and saluted the chieftain, and then they went out of the hall and to the stables. A blue flag with a bear depicted upon it in white, waved over the arch of the barn. Brock was there, and he was preparing his men and their chariots. Ruach went to saddle the great stallion, Gulfaxi; he was a huge horse with rippling muscles, dapple gray with a white-gold mane that flowed majestically over his powerful neck and shoulders. As Ruach laid a blanket over his back and slung the saddle over it, he saw Barthello approach him, with a desperate look on his face.

"Can I help you, Barthello? You seem worried…" He asked sympathetically.

"I need help, but it may seem wrong for me to ask this…" Barthello began reluctantly. Ruach stopped what he was doing and faced the big warrior.

"Surely not from you… you were always the most sincere warrior, and took your honor as seriously as if it were life or death." Ruach reminded him.

"I was… but something happened, and my resolve was broken. Now I need someone to help me reconcile with the laws of our folk." Barthello said, smoldering in shame.

"What happened, Barthello?" Ruach asked.

"I fell in love with a foreign girl, who knows nothing of our ways. I have to marry her." Barthello said.

"Do you really?" Ruach asked him.

"Yes, I must. If I don't, I'll lose all my strength and will to fight. Please, old skald, help me to set things right." Barthello implored him.

"Are you speaking of the girl that came with you… the one who carries a sword and dresses like a man?" Ruach asked him. Barthello nodded and lowered his eyes.

"Yes, that's her." He affirmed.

"Is she the kind who is capable of being a wife? She seems rather willful, and the look in her eyes shows a chaotic spirit. I would caution you against it, my boy." Ruach warned him.

"It's too late. I can't change my heart now." Barthello said firmly. Ruach gazed upon him with compassion, but a touch of sorrow as well.

"Very well, young warrior. I'll speak with your parents, and tell them that I would sanction it. Still, the final word is theirs. It will not be a proper marriage, but perhaps we might revive an ancient custom… she can be taken as your war bride. We are at war now, after all. The children will be subject to the chieftain's judgment when they come of age, before they can take the rites of passage into our folk. But with your strength and her fierceness, I am sure they will pass." Ruach predicted.

"Thank you, old sage! I am in your debt." Barthello rejoiced. Ruach smiled and tapped him on the shoulder, then the green sage went back to preparing his saddle for the ride. Barthello went to find Brock then, who gave him a horse. The chariots were prepared then, and Auron climbed aboard one with Lulu beside him, and the driver took hold of the reins. Isaaru and Maroda stepped into another, and Pacce stood back to give them room to ride out of the stables.

"Take us to the airship first. I'll have to speak with Cid." Auron said to Brock. The warrior nodded and then led the company out into the village streets and onto the road southward to the landing site of the Fahrenheit. They passed Tidus, Rikku and Paine on the road as they went, but Auron motioned for Brock to continue and they did not stop, save for Barthello, who held back for a brief moment to speak with Paine. She walked back to speak with him, letting Tidus and Rikku continue ahead.

"There may be a way. Will you wait for me tonight? I'll be back tomorrow morning at the latest." Barthello asked. Paine nodded.

"I'll try to convince the others. It's my duty to rescue Yuna, but we shouldn't rush off without a good plan. I don't want to leave without you…" She said remorsefully.

"I respect your loyalty to your friends. I value your bravery… it's why I fell in love with you." He said, smiling warmly upon her. He leaned over then and kissed her. As their lips parted he pulled his horse aside and then galloped down the road after his comrades. Paine watched him go, with longing in her eyes and dread in her heart.

As the companions reached the airship, they found Cid striding down the ramp to meet them.

"Auron, what news do you have? When will we be ready to go?" he asked.

"Tomorrow morning, if things go badly. If things go well, then you can leave without us. We'll have another ship to deliver us to Zanarkand." Auron answered. Cid looked at him in bewilderment.

"I don't understand… why would you not want to fly?" Cid asked.

"I don't think you'll be able to keep the angst-driven youth here any longer than tomorrow. We don't want them with us anymore as it is. It's not your fault; I appreciate your help, and we're all grateful that you brought us this far. Try not to let them get you killed." Auron warned him. Cid nodded anxiously.

"We could definitely use your help, Auron… I don't think we can do it without you." Cid surmised grimly.

"If we don't finish the pilgrimage, then no one will be saved from anything. I have to go now. Wait for us to return, then you can go." Auron said, and he motioned for Brock to lead the party onward. They rode over the hills and prairie, around the large volcanic rocks and wooded thickets. They came to a large and thick forest then, which spanned across the middle of the island. Ruach rode up beside the chariot carrying Auron and Lulu, and spoke with them.

"We are entering the forest of the Danu clan. They dwell mostly within the Danir Grove, but we may encounter them on the road. They are guarding all the roads through their woods these days, to prevent the pirates from traversing freely in our lands." Ruach told them.

"Where do these pirates come from?" Auron asked.

"In general, they hail from all around Spira, but usually from the isles east of Wilderia. This fleet in particular is Korwin's Bloody Tide… they hail from the island chain on the east coast of the southern Wilderia continent." Ruach said.

"I've heard of them before… they have a reputation for brutality and ruthlessness." Auron recalled.

"It's well-earned, from our experience." Ruach affirmed.

The company rode into the forest, on a narrow road under the canopy of the oak and ash forest. The forest was cool and calm, and the sun broke through generously enough to keep them confident of their bearings. After an hour, they came to a fortified outpost on the road, and a gate was set up in front of it.

"The Danu have this road secured now." Ruach said. He and Brock both rode ahead of the party and met the guards at the gate. The Danu men were handsome, fair-skinned and dark-haired. They were armed with longbows and spears, and even muskets. After speaking with them for a moment, Brock motioned for the rest of the party to ride on, and the gate was slid open for them. They passed through the outpost and saw several tents and fireplaces there, and at least fifty armed men scattered throughout it.

"This must be a serious invasion they're facing." Auron said to Lulu.

"I can't believe this… it's like a whole other world, that none of us ever knew about, and it has it's own struggles and problems, but it seems untroubled by Sin." Lulu remarked with astonishment. Their driver spoke up then.

"The Valiant Dead protect us, my lady. Wulfgar and his warriors wake whenever Sin draws near, and they battle it fiercely." He told them.

"So can you wake him up to deal with the pirates?" Lulu asked.

"He has only woken once before during an invasion… that was when the Battle Queen of our people called upon him. But our people are strong, and others of the Valiant Dead will aid us. We will drive the invaders from our land, and it won't be much longer now." He assured her.

"For your sake I hope so, but you'll have to pardon us if we don't get involved with the politics of your island. We have our own crisis that needs to be addressed." Auron said.

"Don't we all." Ruach said as he rode up beside them.

"I don't mean to be crass, of course, but you have to understand that we've got our own war now. I've lived a lifetime of war and death. I'm ready for it to be over." Auron said to the old sage.

"I understand completely, Sir Auron. After all, we ourselves mostly pay no heed to the problems of Spira. Here in the north, we would never even notice if not for the occasional visitor, or the invaders. Only aspiring heroes like our dear Barthello, occasionally feel the need to entangle themselves in your muddled social and political strifes." Ruach said, giving him tit for tat. Auron merely nodded in acceptance.

"So what will we find at this shrine?" Auron asked him, changing the subject.

"That is never certain, of course. Perhaps nothing, but if we show the proper reverence and calmness of mind, then we may receive a communion with the spirits there. In particular, one of the heroes of Wulfgar's army." Ruach revealed.

"Interesting… have you communed with this spirit before?" Auron asked.

"Oh yes, several times. He is beneficent, judicious and discerning. He only associates with those he deems worthy and noble of spirit. He was once Wulfgar's champion, leader of the light infantry. He was a very brave and self-sacrificing. He lost an arm in battle with a fiend, but he bound it and won the day. He continued to serve Wulgar in battle until his death." Ruach informed them.

"Sounds like just the help we need." Auron said respectfully.

They rode along for another few hours, and afternoon began to fade into dusk. They left the woods and ventured out across the southern fields of the island. They came into a land of hills and sparse woods, and soon Ruach led them off the road and over a nearby hill. From its summit they saw another hilltop, with a tall stone cairn and an altar upon it. The hill itself was surrounded by some sparse trees and brush. Ruach led them up to it, and they left their horses at the bottom of the slopes, outside the copse of trees. Brock and Maroda stayed with the horses and chariot teams. Ruach took charge then.

"Barthello and Isaaru, you'll come with me. Sir Auron, you may come along if you wish. My lady, you should stay with the others. The Valiant Dead are not fond of black magic." He said to Lulu. She gazed at him in surprise.

"How did you know?" She asked.

"I can sense it on you… the spirits will sense it too." He said plainly. Lulu nodded and stayed in the chariot. Auron patted her back, and then he went with Ruach and the others up to the shrine. They reached the summit of the hill and found a tall, carved stone standing behind the flat, rectangular stone altar. The altar itself was also etched with runes and interwoven knotwork, which was painted red. The shrine was surrounded by patches of blue iris flowers and green mint. Ruach told Barthello and Isaaru to sit with their backs against the cairn, facing the altar. He then piled some kindling and dry herbs in a brazier in the center of the altar, and beckoned to Auron.

"Give me your whiskey jug. I'll replace it when we return to Heargborough." He said. Auron relinquished his whiskey jug, a bit reluctantly, and the sage placed it upon the altar, nearby the brazier he had prepared. Then he stood by, watching the horizon.

"What should we do now?" Auron asked him.

"Wait for sunset, then I'll light the brazier." Ruach answered. They sat in contemplation and quiet observance of their surroundings. The breeze began to die down as the sun sank onto the horizon, and soon nightfall was upon them. Ruach took a black flintstone from the corner of the altar, and struck it against an iron arrowhead, and sparks shot into the brazier, igniting it. The smell of the burning herbs filled the air. Ruach motioned for Auron to stand by the cairn then, away from the altar, and he himself sat down on a stone block between the cairn and the altar. He began to meditate, and his breath calmed. As the sky darkened and night surrounded them, then Ruach spoke an invocation with an auspicious tone.

"Lord Zulrik, champion of the Valor and protector of the Calian folk, we salute you and present offerings to you. We honor your sacrifices and your high virtues, as we seek your guidance and blessing." Ruach said. He breathed deep then, and sat still upon his seat with his hands resting on his knees. For a moment all was still and seemed unchanged. In fact, it was unusually quiet. The fire in the brazier began cracking and flashing more intensely, and then it abruptly became a blue flame. A blue aura glowed around the altar and the cairn. It seemed that the wind was whispering, even as it was still. Voices became more pronounced and apparent around them. They could hear men, women and children, the apparitions of the memories of the folk of the island. They began to settle down, and as Isaaru and Auron scanned across the hilltop with widened eyes, soon they saw a glowing blue figure approach from the darkness toward the altar. As he drew near, he appeared to them as a man in chainmail armor, with one hand missing, and a sword on his belt. He wore a steel helmet with curled ram horns on it. He stepped to the side of the altar and reached for the jug of whiskey, taking it in his hand. He lifted it to his mouth and uncorked it with his teeth, then spat the cork onto the ground. He raised the jug high and began gulping the whiskey. It poured through his ghostly form, but it steamed and appeared to shed its essence into his form, and his aura glowed brighter. He appeared more clearly before them. He dropped the empty jug on the ground, and it shattered. Auron gazed upon him with a smirk, even Isaaru and Barthello watched him with utter solemnity. Ruach smiled contentedly.

"We're grateful, Lord Zulrik." the green sage greeted him. The spirit gazed upon all of them with bright blue eyes. He spoke with a windswept and deep, masculine voice.

"I remember you, Ruach. I know you have kept the ways of the Valor. You have kept our memory alive, and given us offerings, and sung of our deeds to the people. I have heard your songs… they make us live again." Zulrik said with satisfaction.

"I have gladly devoted my life to the ways of your skalds." Ruach affirmed.

"You have come to visit me again, old friend. But you bring strangers. Why?" Zulrik asked.

"They have travelled a great distance in search of help. Their enemy is Sin. They arrived at our doorstep and we sympathized with their cause. Will you now show them compassion, my Lord, and join them in their quest? Will the Valiant Dead go to rescue Spira, as they have delivered us from crises so many times before?" Ruach asked the ghost warrior. Zulrik gazed upon Isaaru then.

"Let them speak for themselves. You wish to face Sin, boy? Why?" Zulrik asked him.

"I want to bring the Calm, and save the people. I want to give them peace and hope. I want to defeat evil, so that good can prosper. I've trained for this pilgrimage all of my life." Isaaru answered.

"You do know, what awaits you?" Zulrik asked. Isaaru nodded.

"Yes, I know."

"And yet you are ready to give up your own life?" Zulrik asked.

"I'm not afraid to die. I'll gladly give up my own life, for Spira." Isaaru affirmed strongly. The ghost warrior beamed with fulfillment.

"So you have it within you, the spirit of Valor… yes, I can sense that you do. And your companion, is he ready to go with you to the end?" Zulrik asked, turning to Barthello.

"I am, my Lord. My truest desire is to fight one last battle against evil, to fight Sin itself. I want to die for honor, and for the restoration of the world." Barthello said.

"Yes, I know you too, Barthello. I know your heart is strong. So be it. I will go with you." The ghost warrior agreed.

"Will you grant them safe passage into the tombs of Mount Eragal, and commend them to your kinsmen in Wulfgar's army?" Ruach asked. Zulrik nodded.

"I will present them before my comrades. They shall judge for themselves, if this is the hour for our pact to enforce its will in the world. With my help, if you purify your heart, they may agree that your cause is worthy of their support. Now, rise and recieve me, as a comrade and a brother." Zulrik commanded him. Isaaru and Barthello stood up then, and as they faced the apparition, Zulrik stepped forth and merged into Isaaru's body. Isaaru was visibly shaken and he stumbled, whereupon Barthello and Auron both reached out and took hold of him, propping him up. After a moment of dazed faltering, at last Isaaru stood firm. He spoke in wonderment then.

"He's with me now… Yes, I can feel his spirit. he's strong, and good-natured. He will help us." Isaaru said confidently.

"You are ready then, to venture to the tomb. We can go back to Heargborough and report our success. It turns out that you are worthy of the Valor; now we shall see if you can find what you need to put an end to Sin forever, and bring the Eternal Calm. You will need my help, young summoner, and that of the sages from Sanubia. To achieve final victory will require something more than just defeating Sin… it will require you to be able to let go of Sin as well." Ruach told them.

"So be it… whatever I need, I'll get." Isaaru replied. They carried him down the hillside then, and rejoined their companions. They mounted up and departed for the north, riding back on the road through the forest. They stayed at the Danu outpost that night, to rest and wait for dawn before continuing to Heargborough.


	13. Chapter 13: The Tomb of Heroes

**Chapter 13: The Tomb of Heroes**

The next morning, Auron and his companions and their entourage left the outpost of the Danu warriors, and made their way quickly back to Heargborough. On the way, they stopped at the airship to speak with Cid. The old Al-Bhed captain came down the ramp of his ship, followed by Tidus, Rikku and Paine.

"So, you made it back. What happened?" Cid asked.

"We were successful. You can leave now, and we'll make our own way to Zanarkand. Once again, we're grateful and we wish you luck." Auron answered.

"If it worked, then why don't you just come with us?" Tidus asked, puzzled.

"There is another whom they must meet, and ask for aid. Beyond that, they must prepare for the final battle, they must clear their minds and free their hearts. They should not be involved in whatever you are planning." Ruach said firmly. Tidus was visibly disheartened by this. He hastily tried to hide it by blustering.

"Fine. We're leaving, old man. Have fun chilling out on an island while we're on a rescue mission. Cid, let's go." Tidus said boorishly. Cid turned back to face Tidus, and saw Rikku and Paine behind him, with desperate expressions upon their faces. Rikku shook her head once, trying not to be noticed by the others. Cid knew why… she had told him just yesterday, reluctantly, but she had no other means of helping Paine to pursue Barthello. This could be her last chance, Rikku reasoned.

"I'll tell you when we're ready to leave, boy. I'm going to have my crew make some last minute preparations. Don't go far." Cid said, and then he trudged back up the ramp and went into the airship. Tidus groaned fiercely, and slammed his fist against the side of the doorway. He said no more, and went into the ship. Auron and the others went back onto the road and made their way to Heargborough. Only Barthello lingered behind, and Paine rushed down to meet him.

"Can't you at least let me speak with your parents? Will they see me?" She asked.

"I don't know… we can try. Come on." He said, and he reached down to lift her up into the saddle with him. They rode after the others, and Rikku waved energetically to them, skipping on the ramp as they galloped away. The companions returned to the road in front of the stables, and the townsfolk came out with the chieftain to welcome them back. Beorg greeted Auron and Ruach.

"How have you found our land, Sir Auron? Is she to your liking?" He asked.

"Of course, it is a beautiful country." Auron replied.

"And what of the shrine? Did the Valor heed your call?" He asked the green sage.

"They have. Lord Zulrik appeared, and he abides with our young summoner here. The Old Knight will go with us to Mount Eragal, to see what can be gained. We should prepare for the task." Ruach said. Beorg's face brightened with triumphant mirth.

"Excellent news! Perhaps the time is fast approaching, for the powers of Sin to be rent once and for all. Good show, Lord Isaaru! I had a feeling you could do it!" Beorg said loudly and joyously.

As Barthello and Paine rode into the middle of the village, they saw his parents standing by, in front of the crowd. When Barthello's father looked upon them his face was grave with discomfort and upset. His mother was subdued and appeared saddened. Barthello stopped his horse and slid out of the saddle. He helped Paine off the horse, and held her hand as he stepped forward and knelt down before his parents. Paine joined him and got on the ground on her knees, lowering her face.

"Father, Mother, I ask for your blessing to claim this girl for my wife. If I have ever displeased you or proven faulty as a son, I apologize for it and ask your forgiveness. All I ask is that you accept us as we are, and allow us to live with some small comfort while we may." Barthello entreated them softly. His father winced, closing his eyes in dismay. Ruach saw them there by the way, and he rode his horse slowly over to speak with them.

"Sir, if it will assuage your concerns, I would like to say that I recommend this union. Let her be taken as his war bride, and it will be lawful, and there will be no shame in it. She is willful and passionate, certainly, but it is clear that she loves him and the two of them burn for each other. Her spirit is like the element of fire… You should feel confident that their children will pass the rites of initiation into our clan. I have a premonition that their child will be a great hero to the world and a boon to our folk especially. I would gladly oversee the ritual and the vows, if you will permit it." Ruach offered sincerely. The old man smoldered then, and opened his eyes. They were dampened with emotion.

"Father, if there is anything I can do to reconcile us, tell me and I will do it." Barthello proffered. His father gazed down and shook his head.

"No, son; there is nothing. You've done enough. In truth you've been the honor of my house, by choosing to risk everything and fight for others, and for the world. If you want the girl then take her. I'll adopt her as my daughter, if the battle should go ill. I claim full responsibility." The old man said, and he placed his weathered hand upon Barthello's muscular shoulder. "Walk with the Valor, my son, and fight proudly, and know that you carry our love with you." He said. He tussled his son's hair once, and then turned and walked away down the path to the woods, where the burial mounds and runestones stood, like silent gray sigils. Barthello and Paine beamed at each other with joy. His mother smiled then, and took hold of Paine's face in her soft, wrinkled hands.

"She is very lovely, after all. I can see why you chose her. Come with me then, dear, and I'll get you ready for the ceremony." She said, and she took Paine's hand and led her back to their family's house.

"Well done, Barthello my boy, and well-matched. I'll be ready when you are." Ruach said to him, and then he turned his horse around and rode into the stables. Beorg spoke to Auron then.

"I'll prepare the ship, to carry you across the north seas once you are ready to depart." He said. Auron nodded graciously.

"Thank you, great chief. We are in your debt, and all of Spira will owe you." Auron said with reverence. The old warlord grinned, and clapped a hand firmly on Auron's shoulder, and then he lumbered off to his hall.

That night as the sun began to set, the village people gathered outside in the glade, but the burial stones and a set of large cairns, carved and painted with many runes and depictions of wild beasts, of the sun, of the fields and forests, of men and kings and their armies, their ships and great halls. The themes of the history of the Calian people were inscribed upon these cairns, written into the stone and painted the color of blood. In the midst of them was an altar with a large round stone behind it, carved in the shape of a wagon wheel, but with flames and rays protruding from it.

Ruach had prepared the altar. Sage was smoking in the brazier, and a silver bowl of water was beside it, and a golden chalice of wine, and a clay urn full of earth and ashes. The old mystic held his staff and a wand of power. The chieftain, Beorg, was there with him as well, holding a long, broad-bladed sword with runes etched across its blade that spelt words of power. They were prepared to officiate the wedding. Barthello was there, dressed in a bright blue tunic and clad in armor made of steel scales and black leather. He wore a sword on his belt, and a sash with the patterns of his clan was over his left shoulder.

They waited patiently for the war bride to arrive. Paine came treading slowly into the glade then, followed by her procession, which included Rikku, Lulu, and Barthello's mother. She was wearing a dress that had been kept in Barthello's family since his grandmother's wedding. It was pure white, with floral ribbons blossoming upon the breasts and the belly of the corset, and a rosy pink satin shawl was behind Paine's shoulders and wrapped around her arms. She stepped softly with bare feet upon the short, green clover, and her gait was feminine and possessed utter grace, as if she was floating. She carried a garland of pink flowers, and wore a wreath of them rested upon her crown as well.

When she reached the altar, Barthello took her hand and led her before the cairn, and there he told her to kneel before him and the two leaders of his clan. First Barthello retrieved a necklace of white-gold chain, and lowered it over her around her neck. Then he stood by as Chief Beorg raised his sword and rested the end of the blade upon the crown of her head, and once all had witnessed he lifted it again and returned it to the sheath on his belt. Ruach approached next with a bough of holly from the altar, doused in pure water, which he sprinkled over her. He then gave her a golden cup of dark red wine from the altar, which she drank. Lastly, he touched his wand upon her breast, over her heart, and took the garland of flowers from her hand, which he gave to Barthello, who slung it over his right shoulder. Ruach took Paine's hand and helped her up, and motioned for her to stand beside Barthello, with her right arm behind his shoulder. Ruach raised his wand then, and declared to the crowd that the ritual was complete.

"This young lady now belongs to Barthello, and to our Boru clan. Let all who witness pay heed, and know that this union is lawful and binding. May this union be blessed with love, joy, honor, and progeny. Praise the Valor!" He said, and all of the people echoed his praise and cheered loudly, and the blasting of battlehorns commenced at once. A fire large bonfire was built then, on a mound in the center of the glade. The people danced around it, singing and drinking. Barthello walked among them with Paine clasping his arm, while his clansmen saluted him as they passed. His father and mother handed cups of wine to the new couple.

"Congratulations!" His father said with a smile as he hugged both of them.

"I'm so happy for you!" His mother added, and she kissed Paine's cheek and then hugged Barthello tightly.

The celebration carried on until midnight, and under the waning moon they retired finally to their homes or to the chieftain's hall to continue the partying. Barthello and Paine were told by Ruach and Chief Beorg to retire together before sunset, as was required by the ritual. They went to his family's house, and retired to Barthello's old room, which was now a guest room, prepared for their tryst by Rikku, Lulu and some of the local girls who were enthused for the ritual. As soon as Paine had taken off her mother-in-law's old dress and reverently set it aside, immediately Barthello took hold of her hips and lifted her into his bed. He laid her upon the soft cushions, covered with fresh white linen and showered with cool, moist rose petals, colored pink and white. The room was decorated all around with long garlands of red and violet flowers. An altar by the bed was smoking with exotic votives, and filled the room with a rich and erotic smell, and a haze in the air. A magnificently sanguine crystal stood upon the altar, in the shape of one large obelisk rising straight out of the geode, along with five smaller pillars shooting out from its base in different directions. Even with just the aid of the candle on the altar and a bit of pale moonlight peering through a crease in the window, the crystal glowed fantastically and animated the whole room with a vibrant energy, and a very voluptuous, fiery spirit. Paine giggled as Barthello loomed over her in the bed and his bulging muscles surrounded her. She surrendered herself totally to him. They were wrapped in a fervent and passionate exchange throughout the whole night until dawn, before they finally fell asleep.

The dazzling golden sunrays of the morning glinted upon the Fahrenheit airship, and upon the mountain, and the tree tops, and the sea. The people who could wake up soon began to stir, but Paine and Barthello wouldn't wake up until after noon. When they did finally come around, they went at each other again for another couple hours. Barthello exhausted himself on his wife, and her skin was burning hot against him. After he had taken her one last time, Paine wriggled in mirth and satisfaction, and she clamped her arms and legs around him. She sighed in elation, and spoke with a sultry voice full of wild emotion.

"Oh Baby, your body is like a dream… If you could do that to me forever, it would just barely be enough. I love you so much I think I'd die if I couldn't have you. I swear, I'd give up anything for you! I'll die for you!" Paine told him, gasping in a frenzy of pleasure. Her eyes were moist yet fiery; she was visibly impassioned and zealous. Barthello breathed deep then, trying to recover himself. As he rolled off of her and onto the bedside, Paine crooned in joy and turned over to lay her face on his chest as she wrapped her arms and legs around him. Barthello was exhausted and completely drained of all his stamina then, and he had no will to move. He lay in the comfort of her warm skin and the smell of her hair and perfume wafted over him. He would have been ultimately fulfilled if not for her words. He realized then, what would happen after Zanarkand. Now he knew that he could not be the one to end Sin for the last time, because he himself could not let go. She spoke again.

"Tell me secrets… tell me what you're thinking, and what you want. Tell me everything… and how much you love me!" She demanded insatiably. Her desire was ravenous. She looked up at him with a lusty smile then, beaming warmly with love and eagerness. When she looked into his eyes he saw her face change then, darkened by worry and anxiety. "Don't you feel the way that I do?" She asked desperately.

"Yes… I do. And that's the tragedy of it…" He said with a sigh.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"I can't leave you, but I can't give up on my brother either. I can't finish the pilgrimage… but I must." He said, torn. Paine's eyes were flooding with tears then. She laid her face in his chest and wept. Her tears were hot. He was miserable.

After they had finally managed to get out of bed and go out to meet the day, it was already late in the afternoon. Barthello lumbered sulkily toward the great hall. Ruach saw him on the way, and strode to intercept him at the steps of the hall. The old sage spoke sympathetically, sensing the darkness in the young man's spirit.

"Things are less simple today, isn't it so, my boy?" Ruach said warmly. Barthello looked to him with his anguish plain on his face, and his eyes were weary.

"You knew this would happen?" He asked, perplexed. Ruach smiled.

"Didn't you? I think you did, but you had no other way out." Ruach said. Barthello nodded slowly.

"You're right." He affirmed.

"It's alright boy. Everything to life subsists simply in just taking the next step. You have the strength for that, surely." Ruach said confidently.

"I'm not so sure anymore." Barthello admitted somberly.

"Hmm… well, I'm taking Isaaru and Auron to the mountain. You should speak to Morihei and Musashi, I think. They can help you as well as I would, if I had the time." Ruach suggested to him, and then he strode by onto the road and toward the sacred glade. When he found Auron there with Isaaru and Maroda, they looked to him expectantly.

"Did you go to get Barthello? What did he say?" Isaaru asked, concerned.

"The boy is in over his head, I'm afraid. He'll need some time to rest and recover himself. No matter. We're as ready now as we'll ever be. Let's head off to the tomb under the mountain. Your time is short, young Summoner. I can feel the time for the end is coming swiftly now." Ruach said as he strode past them and led them along a narrow pathway through the forest, toward the mountain slopes.

Barthello went into the longhouse and down the hallway to the chamber of the sages. He knocked on their door, and Musashi answered. Morihei was sitting cross-legged on the floor, meditating. Musashi faced him with a knowing gaze.

"You look torn in half, boy." He said with a grin.

"I need your help."

"I told you that girl was like fire. She's still burning you now, isn't she?" Musashi said, chuckling softly.

"You don't have to rake him over the coals, old friend. He's been tortured enough." Morihei said, and he opened his eyes and turned them upon Barthello. He spoke sympathetically to him, "Come along, Barthello. Walk with us."

The two sages led him out of town and to the shore, nearby the harbor of the Boru territory. They said nothing as he walked along behind them, the two sages simply breathed deep of the fresh sea air and gazed all about, at the plants and the trees, at the flowers, at the sandy beach and the gulls flying over it or floating on the water. As they stepped upon the sand, then Morihei finally spoke to him.

"You regret it now, but how would you have felt had you not taken her? You would feel just as bad. It is one thing to fear death, but to have never lived… that is worse." Morihei said to him with confident certainty.

"I would still have my honor." Barthello lamented.

"You still have it now, more of it in fact; you have preserved your family line and done right by your kin, and kept the traditions of your people. Surely this is the fulfillment of honor. Perhaps you meant to say that you lost your purity, but trying to remain pure of women is like trying to remain pure of the world; we exist in this world precisely because we belong here, and none should doubt it. The true purity of the soul is inviolable, and not susceptible to corrosion by any of the material elements. Truth reveals this, as you will see soon enough. It releases a man, frees him from the influences of the temporal elements."

"But I don't feel free from their influence. I feel that I'm trapped. I'm worried for her, and I don't want to give her up." Barthello admitted wearily. Musashi spoke then.

"A girl like that is a real gem... she's like a ruby; she's red-souled and bright, hot and fierce like fire. Women like her inflame the senses and enrage a man's passions. She's precious, certainly, desirable and adorable. But she can't be kept. None of us own anything in life. We keep it for a while, then we must go, and leave it all anyway. It's hard to let go of those things… and much easier to let them engulf you. But just like fire, they will consume you and leave nothing but dust and ashes. That's what life does to the man who has fear of loss. Only the man who knows his own soul can rise like a phoenix from the ashes, and leave this world for a better one. It's knowing this, that purifies him and sets him free." Musashi said.

"What is the real source of passion? How does it wield such power over the soul?" Barthello asked them desperately.

"If you can ask a question like that, then surely you have some idea already." Musashi replied. Morihei spoke up next.

"You've noticed, haven't you, that there is a deep and essential connection between violence and sex… even between hate and love. That was how she first took you, after all… was it not?" The old sage reminded him. Barthello nodded somberly. He knew it was true, and he had realized it even before then. His resolve was weakened by the battles and contests of the pilgrimage, and his senses were fired up. It happened to him at Bevelle, and Bikanel.

"Yes." He answered.

"Even fear relates to them. But you were never afraid before, were you, young Brave? So now you finally have a real enemy to overcome, and it is within yourself. You have to defeat it, before you can face Sin. If you win this battle, the war will be over swiftly, and victory will be certain." Morihei assured him. Barthello gasped then, overtaken by shock. He knew then what he needed to do.

"I have to go… I must go with the others, into Wulfgar's tomb. I have to face the Valiant Dead. They will tell me what I have to know." Barthello decided. Morihei merely nodded, and raised a hand to him, bidding him a fond goodbye and blessing off on him. Barthello had no energy up until then, and he certainly didn't think he could have used his legs, but he ran, sprinting back to the village and through the glade, onto the pathway through the woods.

"You know, I have to admit I felt a bit bad for the boy a minute ago… but now I think he might just make it after all. What do you say?" Musashi asked his comrade.

"I had a feeling about the two of them, from the beginning. They reminded me of us. It's an uncanny thing, this world, isn't it old friend?" Morihei replied. Musashi nodded with a smile.

"You think they can make it without us now?" He asked. Morihei nodded, and pyreflies began flowing from his form, whining in sweet release.

Barthello went charging through the forest, and he found his friends at the entrance of the tomb, where it stood against the side of the mighty rock face of Mount Eragal. He rushed up to meet them, and Auron turned around swiftly with his hands on his sword handles. When he saw that it was Barthello, he relaxed.

"We never thought you would show up…" Auron said as Barthello gasped in front of him.

"I'm sorry, Sir Auron… it won't happen again." Barthello assured him remorsefully. Auron smirked and tapped him on the shoulder once.

"Good to know. Let's get going then." He said, and he turned back to face Ruach, Isaaru and Maroda.

"I'm glad you made it, Brother!" Isaaru said, and he shook Barthello's hand graciously.

"I would never let you go on without me." Barthello swore faithfully.

"How do we get into this place?" Auron asked as he stepped up to the mighty golden doors that sat sealed firmly under a giant stone archway.

"I have the key, of course." Ruach said, and he approached the right door, which had a large keyhole at about chest-height. The golden doors were forged with the image of an army of warriors across them, and at the top was a group of warlords in their chariots, with their helmets and weapons inlaid with precious gems.

"If they spent so much just to make the doors for this place, I can see why pirates are still trying to get into it." Auron remarked.

"Gold has metaphysical properties that make it of special use to the spirit realm. It conducts energies in a way that no other substance does… and when we pass through this doorway we are also passing through a portal. Keep that in mind. Everything you do in here will echo through time." Ruach said to them.

"Everything we do out here will also echo through time." Auron replied plainly. Ruach nodded, and then he retrieved a large golden key from his robes. It was lined with intricate teeth, and many tiny gems were set into it. He inserted it into the keyhole, and gave it a firm twist clockwise. The doors shuddered then, and the air from within the tomb came whispering out to them. Ruach motioned for Barthello and Maroda then.

"Give it a push, if you would, boys." He urged them. Both of them stepped up and pressed their shoulders hard against the door, and it slid open slowly. Ruach retrieved the key from it then, and they all stepped into the dark, dusty realm. Auron was aware of the truth in what the green sage had said. They were in a haunted realm now. Everything about the place was pervaded by a spirit that was very powerful and profound. They followed the sage, and he took a lantern from the wall to their left, and lit it up. It shone a faint light over the stone floor as they walked down the corridors of the tomb. Every so often, the lantern light would flicker upon the faces of stone statues or obsidian obelisks with runes etched into them. Beside these structures were stone caskets, sealed over with large flat rocks, or sometimes with lids of silver or gold. Ruach took them onward through several turns and twists, in corridors and long hallways and stairs cut into the rock of the mountain. Finally they arrived in a large chamber with smooth, round marble columns ascending up to the ceiling. As they approached the end of this chamber, whispering could be heard around them. Auron stopped in his tracks and reached for his swords. He felt a powerful hand on his forearms before his could reveal even a sliver of his blade from its scabbard. It was Barthello's hand.

"Do not draw your weapons. Be calm, and quiet." Ruach said to them all. He raised up his lantern then, and they saw a throne of gold with a tall backrest that ascended to the ceiling and glittered with diamonds and jewels set in formations shaped like stars. Several smaller seats were beside it. In the throne itself there sat the dried, embalmed corpse of a giant man, and in the seats next to him were the bones of his comrades. Their armor still glistened upon them, and they looked like kings even while they rested in the final sleep.

"Wulfgar…" Barthello said in wonderment.

"And his kinsmen. They wait here to awaken from their dream, and take the final ride of the Wild Hunt, when all wicked men will perish and their final show of force will triumph." Ruach said reverently. He stepped slowly and cautiously across the floor, and when he was in the open floor past the marble pillars, he came to a stop and tapped his staff once upon the floor. He stood still then, breathing deep. He set the lantern on the floor and bowed his head before the throne.

"Lord, forgive those who intrude, if our knocking has disturbed you, but now our need is dire. If your dream has finally ended, you may wake and speak, and we will listen in good faith." He said softly, but loud enough that the others could hear him as they stood behind him and intently watched the figures sitting before them, with some nervousness of course.

"Can they hear us?" Isaaru asked anxiously. Suddenly they heard more whispering from the shadows, and there was stirring in front of them, beside the throne. The figure directly to the right of Wulfgar's body began to stir. A skeleton of a huge warrior began to rattle and shift, and it stood up from its seat. It was over seven feet tall, and the shoulder pads of its armor were broad. Blue light glimmered faintly in its eyes, and then suddenly an apparition sprang forth, standing in front of it. The ghostly figure was the likeness of the Aeon that appeared over the Thunder Plains to answer Barthello's call. It was Donar. He was a massive, muscular warlord with golden armor and a quiver of black arrows slung over his shoulder. He carried a silver warhammer, and a large blackwood bow. His long reddish gold beard flowed down from under the visor of his helmet, that covered his cheekbones and nose like a mask. His bright, fire-blue eyes shone through it. His voice came flowing forth like the wind, and filled the whole chamber.

"You've come back again, sage? Why? The time is not here yet, for our lord to wake. If you wish to speak with him it must be in the dream world." Donar said.

"I have brought guests, my Lord. They have come here for help in the great battle of our age. This is the final battle against Sin, and they are calling on all heroes for aid. Will our great King Wulfgar not hear their pleas? It may save this world, if he were to listen." Ruach beseeched the old warrior. Donar shook his head.

"The Wild Hunt is not for Sin… even if indeed, it's end is near. Evil lives in the heart of every man, and it will not die with Sin. We will ride again, when it is time to save this land, and our people. But Sin cannot harm our people, so long as the spirit of Valor is strong and the Old Ways are kept." Donar said.

"We keep your ways, true to the legacy of our people, my Lord. I have come here only to beg for your compassion, on behalf of others who suffer." Ruach said solemnly.

"Suffering will always be in the world, friend. Those who forget the past and their own ancestors, they will certainly suffer most. What can we do for them now?" Donar replied doubtfully.

"Our people are ready to atone, please give us a chance! I have to do what I can to save them, and I need your help!" Isaaru pleaded with the ghost warrior, and in that moment he faltered and the spirit of Zulrik sprang out from him, appearing on the floor to consult his comrade.

"Please hear him, Brother. I have abided with him since he came to our island. His heart is pure; only love for the innocent has burdened it. If our King could hear him, he would not forsake him now." Zulrik said on Isaaru's behalf. Donar's eyes burned brighter as he saw his old comrade.

"Zulrik! To see you here encourages me… if you have joined with the boy's cause, then it must be worthy indeed. But you know that our King will not awake until it is time." Donar reminded him. Zulrik nodded.

"I'm aware, Brother. Still, I would ask only that you join me in this quest. Together we can surely overcome the beast. It has been too long since we last rode side-by-side on the open sky… what say you, old friend?" Zulrik enticed him. Donar nodded in agreement.

"We long for the old days, don't we Comrade? Driving foes like they were sheep, scattering to the hills in fear. Yes… I wish for it again. And I see that you have brought Barthello with you as well. I know the young lad well. He has been my most devoted disciple in a long while now. So be it. I will join you, and we shall undo Sin now and free the mortals from it for good." Donar said decisively.

"Excellent, Brother! All the world shall know the Valor once we're done!" Zulrik said gladly. As he spoke then, Barthello strode forward and stood beside Ruach, speaking to Donar directly.

"My Lord, I called you once, and you answered me. If I may ask, why did you come?" Barthello inquired. The apparition looked to him with a smile.

"You've kept my name, and fought for honor. I think you would gladly die for it. Anywhere that I see such a man, I know I have to take his side. What troubles you now, my friend?" He asked knowingly.

"I've strayed from honor, my Lord… in my heart I faltered. I had no fear before, but now I'm afraid, and I can't stand to lose the one that I love. I let doubt pollute my heart. Is there any way for me to be restored… to walk with the Valor again?" Barthello asked, and he lowered his eyes in shame.

"Keep your eyes up, boy. You're a warrior in the Boru clan… that means something. Only heroes stand in this hall. I know that a woman's love stings, but the love of brotherhood is a truly powerful force. It can heal the heart from any wound. If we were brothers in battle, surely it would cure your doubts." Donar said proudly.

"It would be my life's honor, my Lord! But I must prove myself worthy to fight with you…" Barthello said, burning with eagerness. Donar tilted his head in contemplation, and then he nodded and spoke.

"You must go to find Valka, guardian of the Northern ocean, Lord of the icy seas." Donar said.

"Lord Valka! He would appear to us?" Barthello asked in bewilderment.

"Perhaps he will answer us, if we go to his cairn by the isle of ice. He is a power beyond even that of Sin… he rules the almighty ocean itself. If a man would willingly face the almighty sealord, then all fear shall vanish from him." Donar said firmly.

"Yes my Lord… then that is where I must go." Barthello agreed.

"We can't take any more detours. We must go to Zanarkand…" Auron said.

"It won't be a detour, Sir Auron. Isa Cairn is on the way, across the seas you'll be sailing in Chief Beorg's ship. If it survives the encounter with Valka, that is." Ruach told him.

"Enough talk! You have my aid, that will be enough to weather the storm. Now, let us go. You must leave the tomb now, and I'll go with you." Donar ordered them, and then he stepped away from the throne, and his skeleton collapsed back into its seat as his apparition joined Zulrik. Together they entered Isaaru's body, one after the other, and when they had he stood tall and firm, almost glowing with power.

"Are you alright, young summoner?" Ruach asked him.

"I'm better… I feel as if I could fight Sin with my bare hands!" He said in wonderment. They all laughed.

"By the time this pilgrimage is over, we might as well." Auron said impatiently, and he began striding back down the corridors on the way out of the tomb. Ruach chuckled, taking up his lantern as he walked after Auron, and the others followed him quickly.

Meanwhile in the village, Paine was sulking in the women's chamber in the great hall. Lulu and Rikku sat on the bedside, looking down upon her with sympathy in their eyes.

"He won't be the one Isaaru chooses… he can't be. They've only known each other for a few weeks… he'll have to choose his brother, Maroda." Rikku suggested meekly. Neither Paine nor Lulu responded to the suggestion. They all knew better, including Rikku.

"I can't let him die… I can't live without him." Paine mourned in a frantic voice.

"Maybe the two of you should stay here on the island… you should convince him of it, now that you're married. Try to get his parents to persuade him." Lulu suggested. Paine shook her head and then she rolled over to her side, putting her back to them.

"He'll never agree to it. He'll go with Auron and Isaaru to the end." Paine foretold somberly. For a long time they said nothing. Finally Rikku spoke up, desperately trying to alleviate her friend's sorrow.

"There has to be another way… something we're not thinking of! We have to find some other way to destroy Sin." She said, flexing her brain. After a brief pause suddenly she lit up with excitement. "Let's go to the Sages! They have to know something more than what they've told us!" She said, and with that she sprang up and ran out the door.

"What can they know, that they haven't already told us? And if there was another way that they didn't mention I'd put a sword through them anyway for not telling us sooner." Paine said fiercely, with hot tears rolling down her face.

"If they don't have any other answer, what will you do?" Lulu asked her cautiously. Paine seethed visibly for a moment, but after she cooled down she spoke in a soft but determined voice.

"I'll go to free Yuna… and I'll become her guardian. We'll destroy Sin together. That will be the end of it." She said bitterly.

Rikku was running down to the beach, having looked everywhere else and having been told by some villagers that the old men had gone to the harbor. She called out for them.

"Old sages! Old sages! Where are you?" She cried out, searching everywhere with darting, emerald-green eyes. Finally she saw them, but they were not on the beach; rather… they were walking on the water itself. She was frozen for a moment as she beheld this, awestruck, but then finally she seized her resolve and quieted her heart, and ran to the edge of the shore, shouting to them desperately. They were singing and laughing as they walked along on top of the waves, and pyreflies were floating all around them.

"Sage Morihei! Musashi! Don't go! We need you!" She cried, with tears in her eyes. The sages laughed. She fell down in the sand, crying and sobbing. Finally they turned to her and called back.

"Don't cry, poor girl! Don't you realize that the ocean is like a trillion salty tears already? What good are a few more?" Musashi asked with a laugh.

"But we need you!" She yelled between sobs.

"Not anymore. You have all that you need. Weep for those who must go when it is their time, but tears cannot turn back the hour or the day, nor the worlds and stars and hands of the clock. Be at peace then, and look to the new dawn. All things come to settle in their rightful place inevitably, and rise again, when they wake from their slumber." Morihei said.

"Where are you going?" She asked woefully.

"Back to our old haunts at Sanubia temple, perhaps… or to the Farplane. Either way, you cannot follow, you can only continue on your own path. Farewell, Al-Bhed girl!" Musashi said. Just then, in the violet and rosy pink, orange and red coloration of the sunset clouds and sky, there appeared a bright white light in the clouds above them, and from it descended the faint apparition of a man in white robes. The two sages cried out to him in joy and loving mirth, and raised their arms up to him.

"Maharishi!" Cried Musashi.

"Oh Master! Divine Sage!" Morihei called to him ardently. The white sage had a shimmering visage and a warm smile on his bearded face that beamed across the sky, so that even Rikku could see it from the shore. He spoke with a soft, wizened old voice that drifted everywhere with the breeze.

"Come home, my students, come back to the source. Abide with me and with the Light, and be at peace." He said warmly, with divine glee in his voice. He laughed then, and the sound of it stilled Rikku's heart and calmed the waves, and made the whole world peaceful in that moment. The three sages all laughed together as they drifted up into the sky, dispersing into pyreflies and disappearing in the white clouds. They were gone, and Rikku huddled alone in the sand, while the foamy water gently washed and sprayed over her.

When Ruach led the companions back to Heargborough, they found the sleepy little village especially calm and warm then. Ruach stopped in his tracks as they reached the side of the glade nearest town.

"What is it, Sage?" Barthello asked him with concern.

"Something has changed… There's a benevolent spirit in the air now. Everything is calm." Ruach answered reverently. They went on into town then, and saw Paine and Lulu coming out of the doors of the longhouse. Barthello looked to Paine, and saw on her face and in her eyes clear signs that she had been weeping and under great distress. Yet somehow, now in this warm, gentle breeze, she seemed to be relieved. Auron walked up the steps to embrace Lulu, and Barthello met Paine on the cobblestone street as she stepped down to embrace him. He held her closely in his mighty arms. Just then, they heard Rikku's voice and saw her sprinting into town.

"They're gone! The old sages left for the Farplane!" She shouted, and then she gasped for breath. Tidus came out of the longhouse then and jumped down to take hold of her, and she hugged him while she wept and tried to catch her breath. Auron and Lulu looked at each other in shock and dismay then, and all the companions' faces were full of bewilderment and sorrow. Isaaru was the most dejected.

"They were Unsent?! Why would they leave us now? How could they? What are we supposed to do without them?" He asked frantically. Ruach turned to him then with a calm expression and spoke to him gently.

"You have what you need, young summoner. They would not have left otherwise. Take heart, and go in peace." He urged Isaaru. The summoner was subdued then, and he said nothing more. He merely nodded in acceptance. Maroda placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, and Pacce ran down the steps to embrace him.

"So what are we doing now?" Tidus demanded, glancing to Auron.

"We're leaving. As soon as the ship is ready." Auron said. They heard the chieftain's big, deep voice then, as he stood in the doorframe of the longhouse.

"It is ready, Sir Auron. My son Brock will command the crew himself. He will take you to Zanarkand in good faith, as I decreed. I bid you farewell, old guardian, and good luck." Beorg said, saluting them with a smile. Auron returned the salute, and then the chieftain went back into his keep. Auron turned to Ruach and shook his hand.

"Thank you for everything, Green Sage. Spira is in your debt." Auron said graciously.

"No more so than it is indebted to you, Sir Auron. Surely it has no more to ask of you, after this time. It's not so bad to retire, after all." The sage said to him, with a knowing twinkle in his wise gray eyes.

"When it's over this time, I intend to do just that." Auron assured him. Ruach nodded and turned to Barthello and Paine then.

"Good luck, you two. May love be a light for you, that you never falter. Blessed by the Valor, I pray you shall remain. Farewell." He said to them kindly, and he wrapped his arms around them briefly before he released them and went off toward the back of the village, to his cottage.

Auron strode off on the road to the harbor then, and Lulu followed him briskly. Isaaru, Maroda and Pacce headed that way as well. Tidus and Rikku went southward on the road to the landing site of the Fahrenheit. Only Barthello and Paine lingered in the middle of the street then, in each other's arms.

"I love you… and I'm not going to lose you." Paine whispered to him.

"My people will always take care of you. You can come back anytime. The Valor will protect you here." He told her, speaking softly and gently. She looked up at him with moist and longing eyes. Barthello kissed Paine one last time, and then she cuddled up into his chest for another moment. They parted slowly from this embrace, and as soon as Paine's hand slid out of his grasp she turned and walked away on the road southward. Barthello stood in the street, and his great shoulders slouched, and he sighed wearily in release. Paine looked over her shoulder once, and her face beamed with somber desperation, and Barthello watched her in mournful, helpless dread. She lingered only a brief moment, and then continued down the road into the distance. Barthello finally turned to the east and went down to the harbor, where Brock and the crew came rowing in from the northern seas around the mountains.

The longship they piloted was a spectacle to behold, a magnificent and sleek vessel, imbued with exquisite carvings and reliefs lining the forepeak and the hull, in the form of a school of voluptuous mermaids, marvelously painted and detailed. The primary color of the ship itself was a rich, burgundy red.

They sailed into the harbor swiftly, and drifted into the docks, stopping as gently as they could. Brock jumped onto the docks and his men lowered a ramp to him, which he situated properly on the wooden pier. He turned to face his travellers then. Auron stood in front of them, with Lulu directly behind him to his right, while Isaaru and his brothers stood further back on his left, and Barthello towered silent and solemn behind them all.

"Alright, now then my dear guests, are you prepared to depart?" He asked them affably, in high spirits that contrasted starkly to their own dimness and dark mood. Auron nodded to him without speaking.

"Fair enough. I see you're all sad to leave our beautiful island, and I don't blame you, but there's a quest to finish after all? Fear not, we'll deliver you with record time. This vessel is called _The Mermaid's Blush_ … one of our less intimidating ships, but certainly our most impressive and prized for her great speed and beauty. Come along aboard, you'll feel quite comfortable." He said, ushering them up the ramp.

Auron led his companions onto the ship, and they were taken into the cabin and designated quarters. Barthello and Isaaru went to speak with Brock after they had finished.

"Can I help you boys?" He asked them.

"We have an objective on the way, that Donar himself advised us to visit." Barthello told him.

"What would that be?" Brock asked him.

"We need to visit the Cairn of Valka." Barthello told him. The young captain's eyes widened.

"Really?... that's not entirely a safe lane to sail on… are you sure?" Brock asked. Barthello and Isaaru both nodded solemnly.

"Yes. The Lord of the golden chariot would not lead us astray." Barthello said. Brock nodded slowly.

"So be it… if anyone can get you through safely, it should be me, I hope." Brock said, as if to convince himself. He strode past them and went out to speak with his crew.

"Are we ready for this, Brother?" Isaaru asked Barthello, with some anxiety in his voice.

"We will be. Lord Donar would not misguide us. Once we have faced Valka, we will know for certain if we are ready. I won't let you down, Brother." Barthello said, raising his hand to the young summoner. Isaaru took hold of it firmly, and together their hands made a fist and reached upward, and Barthello spoke loudly:

"Death to Sin!" He said.

"Death to Sin!" Isaaru repeated after him.

Barthello slapped Isaaru's shoulder before he released him, and they strode together down to the steps that led to the mess hall of the ship.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14: The Great Horn**

As evening was falling across the red city of Bevelle, Yuna stood on the balcony of her chambers in the Yevon headquarters building. The gold and red sunrays shone upon her pale white face, coloring it a melancholy rosy hue and violent hue. Her blue eye was shadowed over partly, seeming like a dark and placid sea, while her green eye was glinting in the last peering beams of sunlight with vibrant emerald vitality.

Yuna let out a deep and somber sigh as she watched the vacant seas west of Bevelle. She saw no signs of the white airship, only ships of attendees inbound for the public celebration of the wedding, were drifting into the bay. With every ship that arrived, she felt incrementally more anxious. She was a prisoner bound in fear every moment that she was in the capitol city. She was bound in fear of _him_. As she stood in the middle of the balcony, she heard a high-toned, androgynous voice.

"Lady Yuna, what do you see?" Seymour asked her. Yuna gasped reflexively, and felt her whole body tremble. Pangs of dread rang throughout her being. In a soft and quivering voice she answered.

"More visitors are coming." She said.

"They are guests arriving for our wedding!" Seymour said gleefully as he stepped up beside her and looked down over the bay. His bloodshot, cold indigo eyes scanned the water and the city. "Isn't it wonderful, my Lady? Soon they will witness the event of the millennium!" He said, turning a venomous smile toward her.

"What are you trying to accomplish with this, Seymour? You died… you're unsent. There's no point in us being married; we can't complete the pilgrimage together now. What good is a public statement now?" She asked, both terrified and bewildered. Seymour's smile simply widened and cracked open, showing his teeth.

"I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise, my Lady. Anyway, you'll warm up to me eventually, I'm sure." He said as he patted her cheek heavily with his long fingers. He held up her chin, and her eyes looked away as they dampened and began to weep. Seymour spoke to her in a soft, coaxing tone, "Come now, Yuna… our wedding day is approaching. You should eat more, and cheer up. You don't want to look frail in your wedding gown, and downcast in front of all Spira, do you?" Yuna squirmed away out of his grasp then and faced him with a damp but hot gaze. She spoke in a low, fearsome voice, uncharacteristic of her, and very ominous.

"I don't know what you're planning, but you won't get away with it. My friends will return, and this time you're going to the Farplane." She hissed. Seymour laughed, and he turned from her then and walked across the balcony back into the tower. He spoke dismissively to her as he went.

"If they do, this time they'll rot in the dungeons. Perhaps you can stay there with them, until our wedding day? I wouldn't mind." He said indifferently. He was gone then, and Yuna sulked at the edge of the balcony, looking fatefully down at the streets below. If she still had her wand, she could have summoned, but it was of course confiscated by the Yevon guards. Even so, now she contemplating taking the dive. She was resolved to do it, if it could stop Seymour. She sensed that he had a truly heinous plot brewing for the city and for the world. It was her anger at him that bade her not to fall. She wanted more than liberation now; she wanted revenge.

Aboard the Fahrenheit, Cid was overlooking the oscillo-finder as it scanned the distant city. They were just now nearing the far edge of the giant Bay of Bevelle. They passed over the outer islands and into the large inner sea around Macalania and leading toward the isthmus of Bevelle. In the control room, Tidus, Rikku and Paine each stood across from each other on opposing sides of the oscillo-finder, and its pale light glowed upon them as they glanced at each other. Written on each of their faces was a flurry of emotions; sometimes anxiety, fear, determination and fury. Paine's eyes were glowing like hot embers, and she steamed with passion. Tidus and Rikku gazed upon each other, and their mutual sentiments of desperation, love and desire were beamed back and forth, like the conductance of some powerful current in the air. Finally Cid spoke up to them.

"We'll be approaching the city under cover of night. I'm going to land by Macalania lake. From there, you'll go with the platoon and make your assault. We've got reports from our spies in the city, that the High Bridge and main plaza are under heavy guard. You won't be able to enter by stealth." Cid speculated.

"We won't need to. Seymour is dead. I'm not scared of the others." Tidus said confidently.

"Alright. Make it a quick snatch and grab. When you have Yuna, get onto the bridge and I can pick you up there if need be, using the manlift." Cid told him. Tidus nodded. When the ship lowered down over the snowy hills nearby Macalania Lake, Tidus and his friends started for the exit of the control room.

"Good luck down there." Cid said to them.

"We don't need luck." Paine replied in a low and fierce voice as she strode out of the control room without lingering. Tidus merely saluted Cid, and then he and Rikku followed after Paine, on the way down to the cargo bay. Al-Bhed fighters with machina weapons met them there, and walked with them down the ramp and out into the snow. They marched briskly across the snowy hills and into Macalania Woods. They took the path through the nighttime crystalline woodland, and to the Highbridge of Bevelle. A couple Yevonite scouts were posted there, and when they saw the platoon approaching they ran across the bridge. A few Al-Bhed riflemen sniped them down, and then the platoon continued on their forced march over the bridge. Tidus led them, with Paine by his side and Rikku close behind him.

As they marched dauntlessly into the plaza they found several squads of the city guard waiting for them. The alarm was sounded again, and the battle began without quarter or hesitance on either side. Tidus drew his saber and charged into the fray, whooping loudly. Paine took her katana in both hands and whirled it, with flashes like lightning. She fought through Yevon soldiers, breaking their armor and cutting them open wherever she perceived any vulnerability. Rikku used twin short-swords and fought at Tidus' back to keep him safe. The Al-Bhed soldiers fought bravely, but more soldiers began pouring in from the city streets and down from the Yevon headquarters. The Bevelle Guard had their broad shields, forming a solid wall of steel behind the skirmishing that continued in the plaza, until all of the lower ranking Yevon soldiers were slain and Tidus stood over their bodies, facing the impenetrable line ahead of him, between him and the tower. He saw a familiar figure coming down the steps then, and his heart froze. It was Seymour. He strode down just far enough that he could see over the shields and helmets of his guards, and then he glared across them all with a satisfied smirk curving his narrow face.

"She was right, it seems… you did return." He called out to them, gleefully and without worry. Paine screamed in rage.

"No! You are dead! What are you doing here?!" She demanded fiercely.

"My plans for Spira are too important to be set aside just for the Farplane, little soldier girl." He said, and her face was immediately swept with shock and dismay. He smiled widely. "Yes, that's right, I know who you are now. I know who all of you are, and I've got just the thing for you this time. Captains! Come down now, and deal with these miscreants!" Seymour called. As he spoke, three figures came down the steps and walked past him. They stepped out from behind the shield-wall, which closed up tightly behind them. They were Crusaders; Luzzu, Elma and Lucille.

"Luzzu? Crusaders again? What are you doing here?" Tidus demanded.

"After you attacked the capitol city, Yevon called us back to service. We've been reinstated as Crusaders and given promotions and better training. You won't escape this time, Tidus." Luzzu said to him.

"You know that the Maester is dead, don't you? He does not belong here… you're fighting for an abomination! He might as well be a fiend!" Paine shouted at them. They gave her a bewildered glare, and then Luzzu glanced over his shoulder at Seymour. The Maester shouted at them.

"Do your duty, fools! Kill them now, or I'll have you all thrown in the dungeon and starved to death!" He chided them on. Luzzu faced back toward them with a grim scowl.

"You're not going to deceive us with your lies, traitor!" Lucille shouted at them.

"We won't let you pass, and you can't escape. Surrender now and it will be over quickly." Luzzu urged them.

"Not gonna happen! We came here for Yuna! Give her to us!" Rikku demanded.

"You'll never take Lord Braska's daughter from us! We will dispatch you with extreme prejudice!" Luzzu warned them. Tidus scoffed impatiently.

"It's your funeral!" He said, and he stepped forward with his saber ready. Luzzu drew his broadsword and charged at Tidus, while Lucille unsheathed her sword and faced off against Paine. Elma carried a steel chain in one hand, and a spiked club in the other. She walked toward Rikku, poised to strike. The six of them spread out across the plaza and clashed with each other, and a fierce struggle ensued. Luzzu had been right about their training; they now had special abilities that Tidus and his friends had not anticipated.

He was parrying and striking against Luzzu's broadsword, and then suddenly he saw the long-legged redhaired warrior dash up into the air and spin over him, and by the time Tidus whirled around to face his opponent, Luzzu swung at him and nearly cut open his ribs. Tidus just barely managed to get his sword between them, but his enemy's blade cut him lightly across the arm and the chest, and he stumbled back. He fell to the floor of the plaza on one knee, and had to swing fiercely to fend off Luzzu's incoming assault. He made a daring move, and rolled aside across the plaza floor, giving a swipe from his sword as he went. He got lucky and cut Luzzu's leg. It was a clumsy hit, but it went deep, and the Crusader cried out and stumbled back, gripping his leg with one hand as it bled out.

Tidus rolled back onto his feet immediately and and pointed his sword at his enemy. Just then he heard a girlish cry from behind him, and Tidus turned to see Elma standing over Rikku with her chain wrapped around the Al-Bhed girl's throat, choking her. Tidus reacted instantly, hurling his sword toward Elma. the blade embedded itself diagonally across her face, and she went lifeless as she began to tilt, and then fell dead onto the plaza floor. Luzzu limped as quickly as he could to stab Tidus in the back, but Rikku grabbed one of her short swords and threw it to Tidus. As soon as the pommel was in his hand, Tidus stepped sideways and thrust the blade backward under his arm, and it stuck into Luzzu's ribs, sinking in up to the hilt. Tidus turned around to face Luzzu then, and withdrew the blade as his adversary shifted dizzily and then collapsed onto the floor. As he looked across the plaza he saw Paine standing with her sword in both hands, and the blade was reddened and dripping. Lucille was crawling feebly across the floor, trying to reach for her fallen sword with an outstretched arm. Paine stepped onto the sword, and then placed her other boot upon Lucille's arm, pinning it down. She held her sword ready and faced the enemy shieldwall. Tidus heard high-pitched laughter then; it was Seymour.

As soon as Tidus looked to the Guado Maester again, he saw Yuna there beside him, with a Yevon soldier holding her arms from behind, while another pointed his rifle at her head. Tidus shouted in anguish and desperation then. Paine and Rikku both cried out as well. Seymour continued to laugh at them in malicious glee.

"Damn you Seymour! I'll kill you for this! Don't you dare hurt her!" Tidus screamed. Seymour chuckled.

"Kill me again? Have you not learned anything, poor boy? No, that won't do. You'll follow orders now, or she will die. We can have a wedding and a funeral all at once, then!" He said, revelling in his apparent triumph with malevolent satisfaction.

"I killed you once, Guado! You think I can't do it again?" Paine taunted him fiercely, and as she felt Lucille squirming under her boot, she reacted in a frenzy. Paine kicked Lucille's shoulder and spun her over onto her back, and then she stepped on Lucille's sternum and put the blade of her katana against the Crusader's throat. Paine looked back up at Seymour then with a ferocious gaze, tempting him to provoke her anger once more. Seymour merely smiled and shrugged.

"Go ahead and kill her. These Crusaders are worth nothing to me." He said with a laugh. Paine felt Lucille's hand desperately take hold of her ankle, trying to lift her crushing boot up. In an instant hot flash of pure fury, Paine swung her sword down and cut off Lucille's left hand, and as the Crusader let out a muffled cry, Paine lunged forward to assault the shieldwall in front of her. She swung wildly and slammed up against the steel shields, kicking and screaming and leaping madly. The shields bashed against her and soon surrounded her, boxing her in.

"Kill the summoner!" Seymour shouted loudly. Tidus immediately screamed in dismay, begging him not to.

"Wait! I surrender!" Tidus shouted. He turned back to the Al-Bhed soldiers behind him and shouted for them to leave the city, and they all turned and fled back down the Highbridge. Tidus threw down the short sword then and but up his arms. Rikku stayed on her knees and put up her hands. Seymour smirked at them in contentment as they were swiftly surrounded and seized up by the guards. It took awhile for the shields to finally subdue Paine, and many of the Bevelle Guards were wounded, but finally she was taken. They were shackled and presented to Seymour then. Yuna stood before them as well, but she kept her eyes to the floor and they streamed with rivulets of tears.

"Throw them in the dungeon beneath the tower. Take Lady Yuna to her chambers for now, but she'll join them soon." Seymour said with a wicked grin. He turned and went back up the steps then, and the soldiers took Yuna along with him. The guards dragged their three captives away then, as nightfall spread over the city.

Up north on the high seas, a longship went gliding over the waves toward the icy reaches of the ocean and the sea lanes leading around Mount Gagazet and the horn of the continent of Wilderia. _The Mermaid's Blush_ was making good time across the rolling waters. It took some time for the companions to get their sea legs as the vessel cut across the rough waves of the north, but eventually they managed to cope. Auron was on the deck with Captain Brock, watching the icebergs pass by. They were wrapped in wool ponchos, and the air around them was cold. A wind whipping from west to east favored them in their journey, as it filled the broad striped sails of the ship.

"How much further is it till we reach this island of ice?" Auron asked impatiently.

"We should be there in the morning. Isa Cairn is quite a sight, my friend. Few of you from Spira have ever seen her… most of your big, clumsy ships avoid the Northern Ocean. They can't navigate through the icebergs, and the rolling waves are hard on them." Brock explained with a confident smirk.

"You're right. I'd never heard of these islands before now." Auron admitted.

"Isa Cairn is the long, slender white island that runs northward, by the horn of Wilderia and Mount Gagazet. We may slip into port for just a brief stay to ask for news and advice about the weather and the fiend activity, then we'll head swiftly to the Cairn of Valka. If we make it through Valka's pass, we'll sail up past the horn and then around to Zanarkand. We should reach the old ruins within two days' time." Brock speculated. Auron nodded in acceptance and then went down under deck to see the others. He was met by Barthello and Isaaru and his brothers. They all wore ponchos and scarves as well.

"Any news of the time we're making, Sir Auron?" Isaaru asked him eagerly.

"We'll reach the island by morning. We'll be in Zanarkand two days after that." Auron said. They nodded and then walked by him to go out onto the deck. Auron continued down the hall toward Lulu's quarters. He knocked, and when she opened the door she was wrapped in furs and had a black wool cap on her head. Her long black hair flowed freely down one shoulder and over her breasts, with a couple thin braids mingled in it. Her amber eyes lit up when she beheld him, and Auron smiled warmly at her.

"Were you about to go outside for a stroll around the deck?" He asked her.

"Well, I thought it might pass the time, but you could certainly persuade me to stay inside." She said with a sultry, inviting tone. Auron chuckled as he took hold of one of her braids in his leathery fingers, and he tugged it gently in a playful gesture. Lulu pursed her lips and combed her nails against his chest. He stepped in close to her and took hold of her arms, pushing her back into the room. He then reached back and shut the door firmly.

On the deck of the longship, Maroda and Pacce were throwing a thin wooden disk back and forth to each other, while Barthello and Isaaru stood together with their elbows rested upon the starboard railing as they watched foamy, tossing sea.

"What are your thoughts, Brother?" Barthello asked the young summoner.

"About the two sages. I miss them now. I wish I had spoken to them one last time. Do you really think we're ready to finish this, Brother?" Isaaru asked him.

"No. But ready or not, it's our destiny now. We still have one last stepping stone along the path, and that is Isa Cairn. If anything can prepare us and steel our resolve, it will be that passage between the Isle of Ice and the northern horn of Wilderia." Barthello assured him.

"Is he really so powerful, this Lord Valka?" Isaaru asked curiously.

"Without a doubt. He is an ancient spirit, older than both the Valor and the Fayth. He presides over the oceans and all the waters of Spira. Water is the primary element of this world, it's the element of life, and the one which lies in direct confluence with both will and force. He can do anything that men can imagine, and many things we can't." Barthello said ominously. Isaaru puzzled over this a moment, and then spoke.

"Why has he never confronted Sin?" The summoner asked. Barthello shrugged his mighty, broad shoulders.

"Perhaps he's not interested… perhaps he's asleep. Or maybe, no one ever asked him to." The Boru warrior surmised. Isaaru gazed nervously out at the water then, until Barthello slapped a hand on his shoulder, "Relax Brother. He's not likely to pay attention to us yet."

"That's good." Isaaru said with a sigh. He gazed down at the swirling waves smacking against the hull of the ship, and then he looked upon the mermaid girls carved directly under the railing he leaned upon. Finally he spoke again. "I want to know, Brother, was it your plan all along to become my Final Fayth?" He asked. Barthello hesitated only briefly as he stared ahead into the distance.

"Yes, that was always my intention." Barthello said.

"Can I ask why you determined this so early on? I have my… biological brothers, with me on the pilgrimage. I grew up with them, after all. You and I have known each other for a short time now, yet I know that I can trust you and I've grown greatly fond of you. Do you believe that our friendship can overcome Sin?" Isaaru asked him earnestly.

"I didn't want you to sacrifice your own brothers. I knew it would wound your soul to choose one of them. But I think we are no longer friends, Isaaru. We are brothers in spirit, we should be blood-brothers as well. For the Calian people, to swear blood-brotherhood is not a formality. We will be literally family, in life and death. I never had a brother before now, but it would honor me to choose you as my brother. After we have taken the oath of blood-brotherhood, it will be easy for us to die together. Will you join me, Isaaru?" Barthello asked him ardently.

"You really would choose to make me your brother?" Isaaru asked in bewilderment. Barthello nodded.

"You have a noble soul, that few others possess. You don't seek to harm or deceive others, only to protect them. As I see it, you might be one of the Valor, come back to life to save the people. I would gladly die for you." Barthello said with utmost sincerity. Isaaru nodded slowly, with an appreciative grin on his young face.

"Of course I would say yes. But are you certain, Brother? You don't have to be the one… don't you feel at least some desire, to go back to Paine once this is over?" Isaaru asked him carefully. Barthello turned his eyes downward in melancholy reflection then. Isaaru placed a friendly hand on his shoulder. "I wouldn't blame you in the slightest for it, Brother."

"My heart is broken by her, I admit. But my spirit is strong. No, Brother, I don't want to go back. I want to fulfill my destiny and die for honor. I know you say it only out of kindness and deep compassion, but it would only ruin me to turn back now. My body might survive, but my soul would be dead. Surely you understand, don't you Brother?" Barthello asked him. Isaaru nodded.

"Very well then. Blood-Brothers it is! What must we do?" Isaaru asked eagerly. Barthello smiled with heartfelt gratitude.

"When we reach the Island of Ice, we'll take an oath before the cairns, and mix our blood together, and swear to be brothers forever. Then it will be so." Barthello told him.

"Good! The sooner the better. I would never dream of missing such an offer!" Isaaru said with joy. They shook hands then, and went across the deck to play with Maroda and Pacce.

In Bevelle, beneath the Yevon Headquarters, a misty and cool realm lay out of sight and out of the consciousness of the world above. This was the dungeon of Bevelle, and the dark rotten bowels of Yevon. Cold iron bars lined the hallways and corridors. Only dim lantern light or machina lights flickering in the distance, provided enough visibility to navigate this dark subterranean labyrinth. Some droplets of water were pitter-pattering upon the stone floor.

Behind a set of bars, Tidus sulked in his cell. He stared emptily at the stone blocks of the floor, and the occasional beetle creeping by. He eventually looked up at the cage across from him, in which Rikku huddled, hugging her legs and whimpering. Between them, a little further down the walkway, Paine was shackled to a steel cross, and chains were wrapped around her neck and her legs, padlocking them to the post behind her. A bridle was placed in her mouth, and she had a black eye and bruises across her bare arms. She had taken a lot of effort to contain, and the Yevonites spared no control measures when dealing with her. After a few hours, some heavy bootsteps came down the corridor. A jailor came along with a jug in one hand. He approached Paine first, and started by punching her in the stomach as hard as he could. She gasped and bent down as far as her chains would allow, and then the jailer went about unlocking the bridle in her mouth, and he took it out. He grabbed her hair then and pulled her head back, and then he lifted the jug up and poured it into her mouth. She retched and tried to spit it out, but the jailer slapped her hard, and then pulled her hair again and forced her to take several gulps of whatever was in the jug.

"Hey, what the hell are you doing to her?" Tidus shouted at him.

"Shut yer mouth, apostate. I'm feeding her sedatives, so she won't be able to hurt me later when these chains finally come off. A few doses of this, and she'll be as harmless as a fresh-born kitten." He said with a wicked smirk. Rikku gave out a shrill scream then and began sobbing. Tidus slammed his fist against his bars in protest.

"You might find yourself in Hell soon, old man. I've never seen anyone cross her without ending up dead." Tidus warned him grimly.

"We're already in Hell, boy, and you won't be leaving it." The jailer said with a chuckle, and then he strode back down the corridor and left them. Paine was wheezing for air and retching as if she wanted to throw up but couldn't.

"Are you alright, Paine?" Tidus asked her. She coughed a few times before she spoke.

"Not really… I feel sick." She said.

"What are they going to do with us?" Rikku asked in dread.

"They're going to kill us, of course." Paine answered.

"Why?" Rikku asked frantically.

"Because they can… and that's what Seymour and the Maesters are all about: Power and cruelty. And that Guado loves to exercise them both." Paine determined with sureness.

"Why didn't he stay dead? How many times do we have to kill that bastard?" Tidus asked, fuming with frustration.

"Didn't you hear me? He's evil. He won't stop until he gets what he's after. I've got a feeling we're going to see it soon." Paine replied.

"What will he do to Yuna?" Rikku asked between sobs.

"The same thing he's doing to us, I'm sure… especially after she's no longer useful to him." Paine surmised.

"How can you say it like that? Like you don't care…" Rikku asked in agitation.

"Because I don't care anymore. It's over. We're going to die. Barthello and Isaaru will die, and probably the others too. Yuna will die. I should have gone with Barthello instead… the only reason I came here, was to free Yuna so that I could save him." Paine admitted darkly. Rikku grabbed the bars of her cage then and looked to Paine with tears rolling out of her green eyes.

"What do you mean?" She demanded. Paine answered without hesitating.

"I was going to take her to Zanarkand, and become the Final Fayth. I was going to kill Sin, so that Barthello would live. That's why I came with you." Paine answered remorselessly. Rikku cried out in misery and shook her cage with her fists.

"I can't believe this! How could you!" Rikku screamed.

"Of course you don't believe it. What have you sacrificed? When have you had to fight for anything? And if you tried you would fail. You were never willing to give up anything for anyone." Paine rebuked her coldly.

"This is about me, isn't it? It's all about your hatred for me! It's not even about anyone else…" Rikku stammered with a cracking voice.

"And of course you think it's all about you! Even now!" Paine shouted, as loudly as she was able after being drugged. Rikku's voice began whining a retort, but Tidus rattled the door of his cell and raised his voice fiercely.

"That's enough! Both of you! You're driving each other crazy for no reason. If we're going to talk it should be about something productive!" He said. Just then they heard the booming voice of the jailer yelling at them as he came striding into the area.

"You'll talk about nothing!" He shouted as he threw a bucket of ice-cold water into Rikku's cage, dousing her, and she cried out in shock and pain. He went to Paine next and punched her in the face, then while she was dazed he pushed the bridle back in her mouth and fastened it. He took another bridle off the wall and went to Rikku. He took one of the keys from the hooks on his belt and opened her cell, then he stepped in and kicked her and grabbed her hair, paying no heed as Tidus roared at him and rattled his cell door.

"You're gonna open yer mouth and take this bridle, or I'm going to get another bucket of water, or something worse." He threatened her. Rikku opened her mouth and didn't resist as he bridled her and fastened the straps around her head and her neck, which he then locked in place. He stepped out and slammed the cage door shut, and Rikku laid completely still and didn't make any attempts to retaliate or to escape. The jailer stepped up to Tidus' cell next and pointed a baton at him menacingly.

"Don't make me bridle you next, boy. Don't make me open that door, or I'll break every bone in ya." He warned him. Tidus said nothing then, but beamed fiery hatred through his eyes into the face of his captor. The jailer said nothing more and left. Tidus seethed in his cell and laid flat on the floor. He knew that there was nothing he could do. After a few more hours, he heard some footsteps coming down the corridor. He sat up and watched the floor through the bars of his cell. He saw Seymour then, and he tensed up. Some soldiers followed him, leading Yuna along as well.

"Yuna!" Tidus cried reflexively. One of the soldiers immediately turned and shot a bullet into his cell. Tidus dropped to the floor then. Seymour looked down upon him with a cruel smirk.

"Make yourselves comfortable, my guests. Though you were somewhat unexpected, I don't want you to feel that our hospitality has slipped since you last visited." Seymour said.

"What are you doing with Yuna?" Tidus demanded.

"Oh, don't worry, she'll be staying here with you. You'll have plenty of time to catch up. The wedding is not for another three days." Seymour said ominously, and then he turned and strode away while the soldiers shackled Yuna to another steel cross near the way, directly across from the door to Tidus' cell. They chained her waist, arms, legs and neck to the cross, but left her unbridled. Once they had finished their task, the jailer handed them the jug of sedative, and they forced Yuna to drink it, while all the rest of the prisoners squirmed and shook and yelled in protest. Once they were done, the soldiers and the jailer left the corridor and did not return. Tidus stood close to the bars of his cell door, gazing at Yuna. Her eyes met him then, a bit hazy from the effects of the sedative, and she coughed and wheezed for a while before she spoke.

"Well, we're back together again, at least." She said softly.

"Yuna, I'm so sorry… maybe I shouldn't have surrendered at all." He said regretfully. Paine shifted irritably as he voiced this admission, as if hearing it angered her. Yuna simply shook her head dismissively.

"Don't apologize now. You have nothing to be sorry for. You tried repeatedly to rescue me. I'm very grateful, to all of you." Yuna assured them.

"Did he hurt you?" Tidus asked anxiously.

"Just my spirit, and my mind." She replied.

"Why is he doing this? Do you know what he's planning?" Tidus asked.

"He was always out of his mind, but it's gotten worse since now that he's Unsent. He's becoming more deranged every day. I think his plan has changed very little, though. He wants to destroy the world." Yuna informed them.

"How would he do something like that? What makes him think he can?" Tidus continued to question her.

"I don't know, but it has to do with Sin, I'm sure. That's why he needed me for the pilgrimage, so he could become the Final Fayth. Now that he's Unsent and cannot become the Final Fayth, I think he has come up with something worse to achieve his goals." Yuna suggested.

"What's happening in the city now?" Tidus asked.

"People from all over Spira are coming to the wedding. Yevon priests have been instructed to strongly encourage the attendance of as many people as possible… the city is completely full; they've even put up tents in the streets. Most of Spira's people are here… it must be a trap. There's no other reason for it. Seymour must be planning a massacre." Yuna suggested grimly, and her eyes began to weep heavily.

"There has to be something we can do!" Tidus cried desperately. Yuna shook her head.

"I'll be locked down here until the day of the wedding. Guards will be posted everywhere in the city until then. They're watching the dungeons all day and night. Seymour made it clear that he doesn't want any of you to escape again." Yuna informed him, and her voice was lifeless. It drained him to see her in such a state. Tidus felt sick. He slowly crouched down then, and fell back onto the floor, lying in hopelessness and anguish.

Meanwhile, the longship _The Mermaid's Blush_ had arrived within view of the Isle of Ice, by the first glimmer of dawn. As morning came they drifted into the harbor on the northwestern side of the misty, frosty island. When they slid into place next to the docks, Brock had his men cast out the anchor and place the ramp down, then he and some of his crewmen stepped down to greet the harbormaster. Auron woke up in Lulu's warm embrace, and her smooth skin tingled with the energy they had shared, wrapped up together in a warm blanket on their bed. As he began to stir and open his eyes, he saw her warm amber gaze meeting him, and he smelt her sweet breath. He sighed in contentment.

"Good morning." Her soft voice greeted him.

"Rise and shine, Beautiful…" He murmured to her as he slid his hands and fingers over her curvy body. After languishing in each other's heat for a while, they began to roll over slowly and get out of bed. They could tell that the ship had come to a stop, and knew there would be little time to spare.

As soon as they were dressed they went above deck, and found only a few crewmembers who told them where the captain and the rest of their companions had gone. Auron and Lulu went onto the snowy island together. As they left the docks they saw a small port town full of log cabins and great longhouses, their chimneys smoking through the fog and up into the overcast, gray skies. They saw footprints in the snow leading inland, and they followed them to a hilltop where a cluster of tall cairn stones and totems stood around an altar made of a giant stone block. Barthello and Isaaru stood before the altar. As Auron and Lulu approached, they could see that the summoner and his guardian had each cut their right hand, and clasped them together as a shaman clad in a bearskin wrapped a gold-embroidered sash. The shaman and his kinsmen, also clothed in bear or wolf hides, took their horns of wine and hurled them into a large fire, and it sizzled and whipped about fiercely, greedily swallowing the wine. The shaman and his colleagues all cheered and howled, and chanted in a strange language, deep and resonant with power. Barthello and Isaaru raised their hands high above the altar, and the chanting reached a climax, and all the onlookers shouted in triumph. The shaman unwrapped their hands then, and he knelt around the fire with his comrades, chanting lowly and drinking sacrificial mead.

Barthello and Isaaru rejoined Maroda and Pacce, and they met Lulu and Auron as they came striding cheerfully down the hill.

"What was that?" Auron asked in amazement.

"We are blood brothers now. Sir Auron, I'm honored that you could see this!" Barthello said, beaming with joy and pride. Auron was silent then, feeling a bit taken aback, and also a bit humbled. He had not known that they were even planning such a thing. He realized then that his heart was divided. He was not focused on the pilgrimage, or even on his swiftly forthcoming duel. He had forgotten all of it in the warm trysts he had shared with Lulu. She made him feel alive again, as did the life force given to him at Sanubia Temple. He remembered the old sage's words then… that what had been given must be returned, once his destiny was finished. He returned to the moment then, and extended his hand to Barthello and then to Isaaru.

"I'm proud of you boys. You've done right by each other, and kept the spirit of the pilgrimage pure." Auron said with a forced smile. Lulu gazed at the snowy ground then.

"We should find Captain Brock now, and ask if he is ready to depart. We can face Lord Valka together now in good faith." Barthello said, and he led the way as Isaaru and his brothers walked with him to back to the little town. Auron and Lulu strode together behind them a little distance.

"You seemed disheartened back there." Lulu said gently to him. Auron nodded reluctantly.

"I had no idea what they were up to. It seems like I've lost touch with my role as a guardian. I remember feeling the way that they do, for Auron and Braska… but we never commemorated it in that way. I suppose we had no time… or we had no idea of such a thing. I wish now that we had." Auron lamented.

"But you have a chance now, to see him for the last time…" Lulu reminded him.

"Yes… we'll be blood-brothers after all, but in a different way. I hope he understands how I feel about him." Auron said anxiously.

"It wouldn't hurt to tell him, if you can." Lulu suggested. Auron simply nodded, and they strode along quietly until they got to the harbor. Brock met them at the docks, and his crew were carrying some crates of supplies. He reported to them, on the information he had been given.

"It seems like the waters in the pass are steadily growing more turbulent. If we want to make it around Valka's Cairn, we should depart soon. I've heard that giant Demon Eels are in the area… take care not to be caught off guard if you're by the sides of the deck." Brock warned them. They loaded back onto the longship and the crew rowed them out of the harbor. They leaned southward then, and sailed down the length of the island on the way to the Pass of Valka. It took them the better part of the day, and night time came earlier up in the northern seas than in the rest of Spira. It was started to get dark, and the reddened sun began to dip over the horizon. Gray clouds began darkening, and they spread over the seas, chasing the setting sun. However, they soon passed away from the island, and in the seas ahead by the fading light they could see the tall, granite spire of Valka's Cairn. It was shaped like a tall and narrow caricature of a man, with a huge, long beard and a horned helmet on his head. In one hand he held a trident, and in the other a small war axe. The granite figure seemed to watch them ominously as they approached, and the icebergs in the area cracked and shifted uneasily.

"We're here… now what?" Auron asked.

"We should call out to Valka… if he will see us, then he will awaken." Brock said. With his deep, powerful voice he called out to the sea and the statue, shouted the name 'Valka'. His crew joined with him. Barthello spoke to Isaaru then.

"We should call upon Lord Donar. He can summon the sleeping Ocean Lord." He suggested. Isaaru nodded and took up his wand. He began to arc it through the air, high above his head, and he focused his thoughts, feelings, will and intention upon the spirit of Donar.

After Isaaru completed the summoning, a bright golden light glowed in the midst of the black clouds over the island, and they opened up to present a heavenly gate. This gate's arch was made of golden light, and blue light formed the door, which opened into a portal that ushered forth a red and golden aura, the glorious radiance of Donar himself. The Storm Lord rode out of the portal in his golden chariot, and it rolled over the sky above Valka's Cairn. Donar raised his silver hammer high above his head, and it glowed with splendid light. His voice echoed loud and powerful through the air as he called out the name 'Valka', and then a thunderbolt sprang from his hammer and up into the sky. It was such a massive and powerful surge of lightning that it flashed like daylight across the sea for that moment, and the thunderclap that followed after it boomed across the whole northern ocean. It rattled the sea and the icebergs, and pulsed down into the water around Valka's Cairn. In the next moment the sea began to toss and turn, and the water began rising up with a wave that would not disperse. Out of it appeared the visage of an ancient man with a great flowing beard made of the white waters of the sea.

Valka's eyes were blue orbs of power. His helmet was a thunderhead, and lightning periodically arced across the horns. He held a giant trident of ice in his right hand, and a large axe made of whale bones in his left hand. With a voice that took command of the air and sea, he spoke to them.

"Donar… why have you broken my slumber?" He rumbled deeply.

"One of my followers would speak with you, Great Lord Valka. Will you listen?" Donar asked. Valka's menacing eyes fell upon the longship then, and his voice boomed condescendingly.

"A mortal man had you disturb me? Hmm… very well. If he would speak, let him come closer so that I might hear him, and if he cannot be heard, then perhaps he shall whisper to me in my sleep, while he rests in a watery grave upon the ocean floor!" Valka declared mightily, and the thunderous sound of his laughter caused the whole world to shake. In that moment the ship began to rock back and forth with mounting waves, as a great mound of ice began rising up from the sea beside them. They began to see large tentacles take hold of their ship, pulling it against the side of the iceberg with a crash.

A giant squid fiend had latched onto the iceberg from below the water, and its tentacles wrapped around both the ship and the huge spire of ice. Demon Eels whipped and serpentined through the water and coiled up onto the icy spikes of the iceberg. The ship was fixed to the side of this mountain of ice, and Valka was watching them from over the peak of it. He spoke to them with a windswept voice that hurled frosty mist and rime down upon them all from the side of the iceberg.

"Step up and speak to me, if you dare, mortal! Ahahahaha!" He taunted them. (The theme of the iceberg battle is the Griffon's theme from DMC 1)

Barthello and Isaaru glanced at each other, their legs frozen in dread. The golden light of Donar's aura beamed upon them then, breaking their trance and illuminating them. They stood together by the edge of the ship's deck, under the spray of the sea and cold mists wafting off the iceberg. In that moment the decision was upon them, weighted with fear, yet counterbalanced by a deep urge rising within them, the will to destiny and liberation. That was the moment they stepped up together, and chose to conquer their fate. Barthello took the first step onto the railing of the starboard side of the ship, and up onto the rough, spiralling stair of the iceberg. He reached a hand down to Isaaru, and the young summoner took hold of it as his guardian lifted him up. They went together up the spiralling path around the iceberg, confronting sea-fiends and Demon Eels as they went. Barthello was walking up the path with his spiked club in hand, when one of the huge eels came slithering down the way and opened its dragon-like maw to reveal a split tongue like red flame, and rows of shark-like teeth. Barthello put his boot onto the lower jaw of the eel and gripped the upper in his powerful hands, prying it all the way open. His muscles bulged and rippled as he forced open his enemy's mouth, and Isaaru summoned the Fayth Dogoda. The desert wind Aeon went forth into the mouth of the eel, and thrust one of his scimitars upward into its brain. The fiend writhed in dying agony then, and dispersed into pyreflies, clearing the path for them.

Barthello, Isaaru and Dogoda went up the spiralling path and could see they were nearing the peak, but in that moment the great Valka gusted forth a mighty breath that blew them down the trail several yards and covered them with freezing mist. Dogoda opened up his gourd then to release the warm wind sylphs, and they flowed over the two companions, warming them. The desert sylphs whirled around the iceberg in a circle then, clashing with the cold northern sprites. This allowed Barthello and Isaaru to make their way up the path to the peak, but the clashing of hot and cold wind also began to produce a cyclone in the clouds above, and the wind became violent and chaotic.

Barthello stood atop the peak of the iceberg with Isaaru beside him, facing the blazing glare of Valka. He tried to speak, but the sound of the roaring wind deafened him. Valka laughed as the cyclone began descending from the thunderclouds, and it sucked up a huge wave from the ocean, hurling it against the iceberg and the Island of Ice. In the ship below, Auron and Lulu struggled to stay upright and help the crew fight off swarms of Sahaguin fiends that came storming onto the deck. Some of the smaller Demon Eels ascended the iceberg and surrounded Barthello and Isaaru. The Boru warrior smashed his spiked club upon their heads, battering and killing them wherever he could reach them. The storm might have undone them, but Donar rode his golden chariot into the cyclone, and with a super-charge he scattered the sylphs and the sprites, and the wind fell dead and quiet then. All that could be heard was the distant, high pitched wails and crooning of ocean-wind spirits.

Barthello and Isaaru stood triumphant atop the icy peak then, and with a deep breath Barthello projected his booming voice up to Valka's dark blue face.

"Valka! I call upon you! The time has come for this world to be free of Sin. Will you help us mortals, who beseech you, the Almighty Sea Lord?" He called. Valka looked down to him, and his stern face cracked with a smile then.

"So be it, mortal. I grant you my boon, which you may use once. Take the Great Horn of the Northern Ocean. Sound it, when you would call me to battle. On that day, the earth will quake and the sky will blacken, and whatever stands against us shall fall." Valka pledged to him, and then he descended back down into the waves, laying to rest upon the ocean floor. The iceberg began to sink with him, and the squid released the longship from its tentacles. Barthello and Isaaru frantically tried to escape the iceberg and return to the ship, but they were pulled down into the water with it.

They were sinking in the dark sea then, until they felt small feminine hands take hold of them and pull them up to the surface. They sputtered and gasped for air, but when they finally opened their eyes they beheld a group of six mermaids, pulling them toward the ship. When they reached the side of the vessel, Brock had his crew throw down ropes for them, and they pulled Barthello and Isaaru onto the deck. The mermaids were laughing and giggling, and one of them whistled to Barthello. He looked over the side of the ship. As the clouds dispersed, the full moon appeared, and in its silvery light, supplemented by the golden rays of Donar's chariot resting in the sky, he could clearly see the mermaids playing in the water below. One of them swam up to the front of the ship and looked at the porcelain-skinned and rainbow scaled mermaids depicted upon the bow. She pretended to fix her hair, as if looking at her own reflection, then she blushed and delved down into the water. One of the others smiled at Barthello and held up a large auroch horn, it was black and lined with silver rings, and fitted with a silver mouthpiece.

She held the horn up to him, inviting him to take it. Barthello was dumbstruck for a moment by her incredible beauty; Her face was angelic, her lips were voluptuous and cherry-colored, her skin was pale and flawless; her blue eyes beamed pure and bright at him, and her long golden hair flowed down upon her bare, heaving white breasts that were showered with a cascading necklace of pearls, shining seashells and jade beads. All of them gazed down upon her in bewilderment, until Auron slapped Barthello's shoulder and then he quickly leaned over the railing to reach for the horn. The others held onto him as he leaned further down, and the mermaid leapt up a bit from the water and put the horn in his grasp. She left it with him and rolled backward, splashing into the waves and flitting away.

They pulled Barthello back up to the deck amongst them, and he held the horn reverently in his mighty hands. It was sleek gray and black, striped with bands of expertly carved and colored runes, and ringed with pure silver. They all beheld it in wonder. It was nearly as long as a man's arm.

"The Great Horn… it has always been in the mythology of our people. Who would have known, that the mermaids were keeping it for Valka…" Brock said, his breath almost stolen away. Lightning flashed once and thunder rolled softly across the sky as Donar rode back into the heavenly gate and disappeared. Barthello and Isaaru beamed at each other proudly. After this trial, they were both cured of all fear and doubt. Auron could see it in them.

"We're ready now. Take us to Zanarkand!" Auron said to the captain.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15: The Death of Sin**

Finally the day of the wedding arrived, and down in the dungeons the sound of heavy boot steps could be heard treading around the corridors in a hurry. Some inhuman sounds could be heard as well. They had been rumbling in the dungeons for the past few days. It sounded as if fiends were being moved through the dungeon.

Rikku and Paine were still bridled, and had been for several days, only relieved when they were given food and water, but not allowed to speak. Yuna was still shackled to a steel cross. Tidus was sitting in his cell with his eyes downcast. He glanced over at Yuna now and then, and when she noticed him she would smile with a warm and placid gleam in her eyes. She seemed to have accepted her fate. Tidus crawled closer to his cell door and took hold of the bars with his hands. He spoke softly to her.

"Yuna… I know the others would want to tell you how they feel, if they could. We all wanted to save you so badly… it drove us insane so many times when we were on the pilgrimage with the others. But it was foolish for me to launch this mission like I did… I realize that now. If I could, I would have done it differently." He apologized to her desperately. For some reason now he truly needed her to forgive him now, before it was too late. Yuna nodded and gazed peacefully upon him.

"Of course, I understand. We all would have done things differently, had we known better. Oh… how I would have changed things… I would have left you in Besaid. It's always peaceful in Besaid. Nothing changes there, and everyone is simple and kind. You could have had a good life there… in fact all of us could have." Yuna said, with a faint hint of sadness and regret in her delicate, girlish voice.

"I would never have stayed. I knew I had to go with you…" Tidus said. Yuna nodded.

"I know… and I wanted you to come with me. That's the thing I regret most now; I wanted to spend the rest of the pilgrimage with you. It made me happy. Even in spite of how I knew it would end. I suppose I couldn't help my feelings…" She alluded. Tidus perked up slightly then.

"I'm glad it wasn't just me…" He admitted. As he spoke, the sound of soldiers' boots came strolling down the hallway. A group of half a dozen soldiers, led by the jailer, came to take Yuna away to prepare her for the ceremony. As she was unshackled and led down the corridor, Tidus stood up by his door and watched her depart, seething with anger and misery in his eyes. She disappeared from his view as they soldiers left with her in their custody. Tidus sighed and rested his forehead against the bars, closing his eyes in a wince. Suddenly he heard the soldiers shout and some footsteps came rushing back down the corridor, and then Yuna's face appeared before him outside his cell door. He gazed at her in bewilderment, but before he could react she reached her arms between the bars and took hold of his neck and his face, pulled up to the door. She leaned up hastily then and kissed him, hard. In the next instant she was grabbed by the guards and they were pulled apart. She cried out to him as they dragged her away.

"I love you Tidus! I loved you at first sight!" She said. She screamed and cried for him as she was carried down the corridor. Tidus shouted and kicked the door of his cell, and went berserk.

"Yuna! I'll come for you! Don't give up!" He yelled at the top of his lungs. The jailer came to his door with a bucket of water and heaved it on him.

"Shut your mouth, you lowlife bastard! You'll be fed to lupines before the ceremony starts!" The haggard, leather-faced old jail-keeper fumed at him.

"I'm going to kill you, you son of a bitch!" Tidus roared at him as he kicked the door with all his might. The door gave way and slammed into the jailer, and one of the bars hit him in the forehead, right between the eyes. He was laid out onto the floor, incapacitated. Tidus had put so much force into the kick that he fell over onto the floor of his cell. He quickly got up and looked to the body of the jailer. He wasn't moving, and pyreflies began slowly drifting out of him. Tidus got onto his feet immediately and grabbed the keys from the jailer's belt. He ran to Rikku's cage and cycled through the keys until he found the one that fit the lock. After he opened the cage door he quickly worked on unlocking her bridle. After she was free she ran out of her cage and glared down the hallway. It was empty. Tidus quickly went to free Paine next.

"Leave her! Let's go get Yuna and get out of here!" Rikku hissed at him with a loud whisper. Tidus gave her a baffled look, but he ignored her and went back to unlocking Paine's shackles and unwrapping the chains around her. As soon as she was released she fell forward and Tidus just barely caught her before she hit the floor.

"Are you alright?" He asked. Paine moaned in discomfort and dizziness.

"I'm not hurt, but I don't think I can run, or fight." She said. Rikku came up to them seething with impatience and frustration.

"I told you to leave her! She's no good to us now! Let's go!" She said, raising her voice angrily. Tidus scoffed in disgust.

"Calm down, Rikku. We're not abandoning each other now, just because of an argument. We're going to get out of here, and escape with Yuna. Come on, help me carry her!" Tidus urged her. Rikku crossed her arms and stood in place, refusing to help him. Tidus grumbled and lifted Paine up with one arm over his shoulders, and he helped her limp and stumble along as Rikku led them down the corridor.

Near the exit of the dungeon, as Yuna was pulled along by the guards behind Seymour, she saw cages lining the walls as they came into a large chamber, and within the cages were many large and powerful fiends. Some of these creatures screeched or hissed, or made their various outcries as the entourage passed them. Yuna was bewildered by this sight. As they passed another connecting corridor, she looked down its length to see hundreds more of these cages lining it as well.

"What's going on here? Why are all these fiends here?" She demanded from Seymour.

"That would be the entertainment." He replied coldly, and he chuckled as they went on to the exit and left the dungeon.

In the city above, the wedding procession was on the way to the temple of Yevon in Bevelle. Yuna had been cleaned up and stuffed into a white, feathery dress by several Yevon acolytes, and Seymour had donned his finest robes for the ceremony. They made their way up to the top balcony of the temple, and there Maester Mika and Kinoc were gathered by a pedestal, as hundreds of Yevon priests, acolytes and soldiers were standing on either side of the aisle leading up to it. Seymour went first down the red carpet laid out for them. Yuna walked slowly and silently behind him, taking refuge behind her thin veil. Her face was pale, despite attempts to dress it up with makeup and blush. The acolytes had washed away her tears, but now they could be seen again in streaks of black mascara streaming down her cheeks. She looked down to the floor as she walked, unwilling to look at the faces around her.

Back in the dungeon, Tidus, Paine and Rikku were creeping around each corner and watching their surroundings with widened eyes. As they neared the exit, they could see figures at work in the corridor ahead. Immediately they hid themselves, and peered around a corner to observe. There were Guado conjurers and soldiers, moving wheeled crates with large cages rested upon them, containing fiends. With the use of a couple shoopuffs, they were hauling these cages out onto the plaza above.

"What are they doing?" Rikku asked, bewildered.

"I dunno, but I don't like it. I don't think we can sneak past them… we need to find another way out, and fast. Surely there's got to be one…" Tidus surmised. They turned back then, and roamed through the dungeon until they came to a machina elevator. Rikku stepped up to the keypad beside it and attempted to activate the doors to the lift. For a while nothing happened.

"I thought you were raised with these things. Do you know what you're doing?" Paine asked impatiently.

"It's locked... give me a minute." Rikku said. Suddenly there was a beep, and the lights on the keypad went red.

"That didn't sound good." Tidus said.

"Damn… I think I tripped the security system. Hold on… I'm going to try something else." Rikku said, and she placed her hand over the keypad and closed her eyes.

"What the hell are you doing?" Paine demanded wearily. Rikku said nothing. She focused her will inward, channeling the magic that Lulu had given her on the Thunder Plains. Suddenly sparks shot out from her fingertips and into the keypad, and the red light subsided and turned green. The doors thrust open then.

"Wow! It actually worked!" Rikku exclaimed. Tidus gasped in shock and even Paine was wide-eyed. They swiftly got into the elevator and Rikku operated the controls inside. They were lifted up into the Yevon headquarters building, which was vacant now that all of the city had turned out for the wedding. They escaped from the citadel, and saw the Guado below opening the cages of fiends in the entrance plaza of Bevelle, just in front of the High Bridge.

"What the hell are they doing?!" Tidus exclaimed in dismay as he and Rikku stood by the edge of the balcony by the citadel entrance, looking down upon the plaza below.

"Yuna was right… Seymour has something horrible planned for the city. He's launching it now." Paine said.

"We have to find Yuna and get her out of here!" Rikku cried.

"She'll be at the Temple of Yevon…" Paine suggested. Tidus helped her along then as Rikku led them to the steps downward to the plaza.

Yuna and Seymour were standing at the pedestal, facing each other, even though the bride kept her face down and her eyes upon the floor. Mika was spouting politicized prayers and blessings, and reading oaths to which the two of them were allegedly subscribing to that day. No one seemed to notice anything awry, until screams were heard coming from the distance, and they spread like wildfire.

Maester Mika paused then, and with his squinting, dark eyes he glared across the balcony. Suddenly a huge, black Zu fiend came flying up beside the balcony, and all the congregation began screaming and panicking, and they fled from the temple. Yuna was not even moved to glance aside or move; rather she turned her face up and her gaze focused hotly upon Seymour's smiling, venomous face. Her glare was like blue and green fire as she met his eyes. Seymour's smirk faded slightly as he beheld this uncharacteristic fury and wrath on the young maiden's pale, black-streaked face. Maester Mika spoke up in shock and amazement.

"Fiends, here in the city? Sin must be near! Prepare for an attack!" He ordered. Seymour chuckled and spoke softly.

"Oh yes, I'm certain that Sin shall be arriving shortly." He said.

In the streets below, fiends were rampaging through the red city of Bevelle, and now it's streets were sanguine and colored red with blood, matching the rustic crimson paint of the buildings. Tidus, Paine and Rikku went running through the alleys and backways as swiftly as they could, avoiding Yevon soldiers and the fiends that they were clashing with. They even saw Guado conjurers in the streets, bringing forth even more fiends. They finally managed to reach the temple, and saw soldiers rushing down the steps to engage the fiends that were besieging it. The three of them sneaked onto the stone steps and ran up into the temple. They soon found their way up to the balcony, where they beheld Yuna standing near the precipice at its edge, while Seymour and Mika stood behind her, watching her. Kinoc and several soldiers were there as well, armed with assault rifles. Rikku ran across the balcony, screaming to Yuna, as Tidus and Paine followed her.

"We need weapons!" Paine reminded them, but it was too late. Kinoc and his guards turned toward them and aimed their weapons at the three companions.

"Stop right there, apostates! You're under arrest!" Kinoc shouted. He didn't notice as Seymour strode up behind him, taking an assault rifle from one of the guards. Seymour fired two shots from the weapon into Kinoc's back, and the junior maester cried in pain and squirmed helplessly, until he collapsed onto the floor. The five guards standing there were all taken aback in shock, and they soon turned reluctantly to face Seymour with their weapons ready. Seymour had the assault rifle in one hand, but he held up his red dragon wand in the other. Instantly a black corona emitted from him, sweeping out around him and overtaking the guards. They all screamed, but were swiftly silenced as they burst into pyreflies and were gone. Mika was shouting in dismay then.

"Seymour! What is the meaning of this!?" He demanded.

"Begone, old ghost. There's nothing left for you to do in this world. I'm bringing it to an end. Leave now, unless you want me to destroy you myself." Seymour warned him. Mika's face was twisted in horror, and he soon turned and vanished into pyreflies. Tidus ran up in front of Rikku and Paine, shouting at the Guado.

"Damn you Seymour! Who haven't you turned on now? What the hell are you trying to do here?" He demanded.

"I'm trying to destroy Bevelle and Yevon, and all of Spira, you fool. That should become painfully obvious to you once Sin arrives here. I've arranged this carnage to attract it to me, and I will join with it." Seymour revealed shamelessly, brandishing a wicked, toothy smile at them. Suddenly Yuna jumped down from the edge of the balcony then, and she went forth to pick up one of the assault rifles left by the dead guards. She rushed behind Seymour and with a fierce grunt she plunged the bayonet on the end of the weapon into his back. Seymour cried out and stumbled, trying vainly to reach behind his back and pull out the blade, but Yuna pushed it in deeper and hissed in his ear.

"Die you bastard!" She said ferociously, through gritted teeth. Paine seized her will then, and she dashed forward as fast as she could. With a high and powerful kick she swept Seymour's wand out of his hand, and then with a heavy-handed punch she rocked the side of his jaw. Seymour struck Paine with the butt of his rifle then, and she wheeled back. He pulled himself off of the bayonet and stumbled across the floor, trying to reach his wand. Rikku picked up two ceremonial daggers left by the priests then, and she sprinted up to Seymour, stabbing him in the back twice. Seymour cried out then, like a speared bear. Rikku withdrew her weapons and stepped back. Yuna, Rikku and Paine were idling there side-by-side, preparing for another attack. Seymour knew he was outnumbered and beleaguered then, and he reached into his robes to retrieve a signal beacon device, and he activated it. He crawled on his hands and knees then, toward his wand. As he neared it, suddenly he saw a white boot stomp down upon it, and he looked up to see Yuna standing before him, and the barrel of her weapon was pointed at his face. The dark, grim look her fair, youthful face was haunting.

"The world has had enough of you… it's over." She said in a low, grim voice. Seymour merely smirked in amusement.

"Now now, darling Yuna, is that anyway to speak to your beloved husband?" He said deviously. In the next instant, a white boot collided with his chin as Yuna kicked him hard, and he fell over onto his back. She picked up his wand then, and stepped onto his chest, pointing both the red dragon and the bayonet at his face.

"I don't love you, fiend! I hate you! You took advantage of my trust and my innocence, you twisted and abused the goodwill of the people and turned it to evil uses. You are leaving Spira now, and you're never coming back!" She growled.

"It's a thin and jagged line between love and hate, you know. Tread it carefully, my dear…" Seymour said, still feigning bemused superiority.

"Don't say that word again!" She hissed.

"Which word? Oh… you mean _love_? You did love me, didn't you… you pitied me." He taunted her. Yuna writhed with pure rage.

"A mistake that I won't repeat. You know nothing of love, you monster!" She screamed at him.

"I knew it once, perhaps… that was before I became Unsent… who knows what may have been. But your ever-eagerly meddling friends saw fit to sever all of those possibilities. Oh well… what will you do now, Dear? Are you really going to kill me?" He said incredulously. Yuna stomped on his chest and jabbed the tip of the bayonet into his cheek, so that the barrel was directly over his left eye.

" _Yes_! I'm going to kill you!" She snarled fiercely. Just before she could pull the trigger, the floor of the balcony began to shake. Yuna stumbled back and had to stabilize herself as part of the rooftop of the temple began to slide off and fall away. Out of it lifted up a sleek, dark airship, shaped almost like some kind of predatory sea-creature. It hovered over the balcony, and several Guado soldiers swung down on tightlines to grab hold of Seymour. The shadowy vessel lifted up then and carried them away. Yuna ran to the edge of the balcony then, shooting random and desperate shots at the ship and the figures it was towing along through the air. She missed them, and screamed dreadfully in dismay and anguish. Rikku and Paine rushed up beside her then, and Tidus ran to take hold of her arms.

"Yuna! Be careful… forget about him. You're safe now… and he's exposed. There's nothing he can do." Tidus reasoned with her. Yuna shook her arms and her shoulders, crying out in hysterics.

"I'm not going to forget it!" She said. All around them they could hear the screams of the people throughout the city. Yuna looked down across Bevelle below her, and she squirmed in anger and despair. Her fingers clenched tightly around the red dragon wand, and she lifted it up then, whirling it around as she danced the summoning ritual. A dark portal opened in the sky then, and the black Aeon, Bahamut, came soaring down to the balcony. He landed before Yuna and stood there, awaiting her orders.

"We have to save the city… quickly, while we still can!" Yuna said decisively. She ran up to Bahamut, and he took her in his arms. Together they flew over Bevelle, and down to the plaza by the High Bridge. Tiduse, Rikku and Paine gathered up the weapons they could find, and they ran down into the streets to meet Yuna at the plaza.

When they reached her, Bahamut was hurling pulse-charges of dark magic, and striking down fiends wherever he could reach them. Yuna was fighting across the plaza, shooting Guado conjurers and fiends with a spray of bullets. They fought through until they had cleared the plaza and the bridge. As they huddled there in the middle of the High Bridge, panting heavily and stumbling dizzily about, they heard the sounds of an airship cruising in above them. They all immediately gazed upward, expecting the worst, but it was the Fahrenheit. The manlift descended to the bridge near them, and as it opened up, Cid and several Al-Bhed soldiers came striding out. Cid's eyes fell upon Yuna then. Her veil was torn and her hair was dishevelled. Her black mascara still stained her face, along with smudged red lipstick, which appeared almost like blood. Her dress was tattered and stained, and one of her white gloves was ripped on the trigger finger. Holding a machina weapon almost made her look like a totally different person. In fact she almost looked like her mother. Cid actually teared up then, and he broke down and rushed to embrace her.

"Yuna! I'm sorry! I never should have allowed any of this to happen!" He sobbed to her as he held her tightly. Yuna was beside herself then. She had felt despair, then rage, and now sorrow, and surprisingly, affection perhaps. She was utterly emotionally confused. When she was finally able to react, she patted Cid's bicep, on the arm that was wrapped tightly around her neck, and she leaned up and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you, Uncle Cid. I'm glad to see you again… I'm glad that you came back for me, to rescue me. Please, will you help the people of the city now? If you can, it would save lives…" She implored him. Cid loosened his embrace and looked into her eyes, and he nodded in agreement. He motioned for his men to go forth into Bevelle, and the manlift went back up to fetch more of them and bring them down to join their comrades.

"What happened here?" Cid asked, looking to Tidus and Paine.

"Seymour and the Guado released thousands of fiends in the city. He was trying to lure Sin here. I don't know why it hasn't showed up yet… but he fled the city in an airship of some kind." Tidus told him. Yuna held onto Cid's arm and spoke to him in a determined tone.

"Uncle Cid, we have to find him and stop him. He'll never give up as long as he's here in Spira. I have to send him away for good." Yuna said.

"Well, if he's flying around in an airship, he shouldn't be hard to track. It'll be the only one in the sky, apart from ours, and so the sphere wave disruptions should be easy to locate. Let's get things taken care of first, and get you somewhere safe, and then I'll launch some bounty hunters after him." Cid said. Yuna shook her head fast and firm then.

"No, please Uncle, we can't wait. If he recovers his strength, or finds a place to hide, we may never get another chance. Please, take me up to the ship and let's go now." She urged him. Cid looked upon her with a melancholy expression. He knew she would insist on it. Finally he nodded. He took them to the manlift then, and they went up into the ship. In a moment, it sped away across the eastern bay and toward the seas.

In the control room, Cid had located a flying object on the sphere-oscillo-finder. It was the dark ship.

"That's them alright… looks like they're heading toward the eastern archipelago…" He said, and his face was unnerved.

"What's in the eastern archipelago?" Tidus asked him.

"Mostly just pirate stronghold and tropical jungles, maybe some big fiends. But there's also… the Omega Ruins…" Cid said ominously.

"Could they be heading there?" Paine asked.

"It looks like they are." Cid answered.

"What are the Omega Ruins?" Tidus asked.

"It was an old temple once, run by an apostate sage and defector, called Omega. He was incredibly powerful and knowledgeable in occult arts." Yuna said, remembering her studies in Yevon history.

"That's right. Some Al-Bhed scouts have explored the area before, but only a few crews went into the depths of the ruins. Those crews never made it back out." Cid told them.

"If he's going there, it can only be for some horrific reason… we have to stop him." Yuna said firmly. Cid nodded, and he plotted a course. Paine spoke up then.

"I know that he hurt you, Yuna, but shouldn't we go to Zanarkand first, to help our friends? They will need us…" Paine said. Yuna turned to face her, with a desperate look in her eyes. She hesitated, but then she nodded in agreement.

"You're right… we have to help our friends." She said compassionately. Immediately Rikku started screaming.

"How dare you!" She cried, and she flew at Paine in a frenzy. Tidas was just barely quick enough to grab hold of her then, and he rolled on the floor with her, trying to keep her subdued while she screamed blood murder.

"Rikku! What on earth is the matter with you!" Yuna demanded as she stepped over them. Between gasps, Rikku told her.

"She… told me… that she wanted to use you… to defeat Sin!" Rikku said laboriously. Yuna peered at Paine in bewilderment.

"What is she talking about?" She asked. Paine's face was lifeless then, but she didn't hesitate or try to conceal anything. She plainly spoke the truth.

"She's right. I wanted to rescue you, so that we could finish the pilgrimage together, and I would become the Final Fayth, so that Barthello will live. If I don't get there first, then he will sacrifice himself and become the Final Summoning for Isaaru… and if he does that, then I will die anyway." Paine said sullenly. Her red-amber eyes were dim and inert as she gazed at Yuna. The light of the oscillo-finder glowed pale upon her as she stood in the shadowy corner. Yuna looked upon her with a face contorted by sorrow and confusion, and perhaps betrayal, but it was not certain. It seemed that it may have been compassion instead.

"I understand. Very well. We shall go to Zanarkand. Uncle Cid, please take us there." Yuna asked him.

"Yuna, I thought you said you had to stop Seymour…" He argued vainly, now that he saw it was the only way to possibly stop her, even it seemed like an acceptable danger. She shook her head firmly.

"No. Take me to Zanarkand. That's what I want; it's what must be done." She insisted. Cid gazed at the floor in despair. Finally he changed the course, and set it for Zanarkand, while Rikku cried on the floor in Tidus' grasp. Cid walked away down to the seat by the pilot's chair, and he collapsed into it, drained of all his will. The Fahrenheit glided through the clouds, on the way to the ruined city in the north.

On the northern sea, The Mermaid's Blush came gliding over the waves around Mount Gagazet and the horn of the northern continent. It was just before dawn when they came drifting into the ruins of the dead city of Zanarkand. Auron and Lulu were in bed together, and she had her arms around his neck and her face lying close to his cheek. She whispered gently in his ear.

"It's all going to be finished today." She said.

"Yes, it will." Auron agreed.

"What comes afterward?" She asked anxiously.

"That will be decided by those who remain." He said plainly, and unflinchingly. His detachment perturbed her, and she lifted her head up and let out a soft sigh, her warm, sweet breath flowed across his skin and over his face, and her amber eyes beamed down upon him, into his one living eye.

"What will happen to us?" She asked him, with apprehension in her voice and and faint somberness upon her wondrous, pale face. Auron gazed warmly upon her, with love and affection. He smiled faintly before he answered.

"Whatever happens, nothing will change between us. I'll always feel the same about you… and I'll never forget you." He assured her as he patted her upper thigh with his hand. Her face brightened with a smile.

"I love you…" She said.

"I love you too." He replied. She laid her head down on his chest, and they slept together until dawn.

At the break of first light, they awoke to the sound of boots thudding in the hall outside their quarters. They heard the captain speaking to the rest of their companions.

"We're nearly there at the coliseum! Sin is in the area! We saw it in the distance, over the waves!" He said.

"We're ready!" Barthello said gruffly, and then many bootsteps went rushing by and up to the deck. Auron and Lulu snapped up quickly and got dressed. Lulu tucked Auron's swords into his belt, and as he looked over his shoulder she kissed his cheek. As he peered ever so slightly with his ghost eye, he saw her brilliant violet, red and gold aura, beaming with light and love. He looked over her then, and saw her true beauty, and the rich, fertile life force that abided with her. She seemed like more than just a mortal then. Auron beamed love and appreciation upon her with his living eye. He took hold of her feminine neck and kissed her, and she embraced him fervently.

When they emerged upon the deck of the ship, the sun was just then rising up from the ocean in the east, and golden light glistened over the sea and upon the cold dead ruins of Zanarkand. Barthello, Isaaru and his brothers were standing upon the bow, and the carved mermaids were glowing pale alabaster white in the morning rays all around them. The brothers all faced the shore with determination and courage written on their solemn faces. The coliseum loomed close as the longship easily plowed the still water, and finally they slid into the shallows beside the old dome of the coliseum. The crew threw down their anchor and began jumping overboard. Barthello leapt down to the shallows and Isaaru and his brothers followed, wading ashore.

Auron and Lulu glanced at each other playfully, and then they jumped into the water together, hand in hand. When they emerged, Auron hoisted her up and carried her ashore as she giggled happily. When he sat her down on the shore they stepped onto the pavement of the old cracked streets of Zanarkand, and they strode to meet the others at the entrance of the coliseum. Two shattered statues were on either side of the cluttered steps, and the tall arch gaped at them, opening up to a dark realm within, haunted by grim memories. Auron sobered up then. He tugged his sunshades down a touch, and beheld the place again for the first time in over ten years.

"This is it. Are we all ready?" Auron asked them. Barthello and Isaaru nodded firmly. The giant, muscular guardian stepped up to Auron then and offered his hand one last time.

"Sir Auron, it has honored me greatly to serve with you. I pray that you'll live to be a hundred, to retire and have many children and grandchildren!" Barthello said to him with glee and deep appreciation in his deep voice. Auron merely gazed upon him with a satisfied but very faint grin, as they shared their final handshake.

"You've made my pilgrimage truly complete, Sir Auron, in a way that it otherwise never would have been. I thank you, with all my heart…" Isaaru said, and he hugged Auron before he could react or refuse. Auron accepted this gesture and patted the young summoner's back firmly.

"What you say makes me proud. The best compliment I can give is this… you stand equal in my mind, with all of my greatest friends and comrades." He said, and they all beamed with joy and gratitude. As they stood together on the pavement in front of the steps, suddenly many boot steps thudded on the stair of the coliseum, and as they turned they saw a platoon of Yevon soldiers come pouring out of the archway. Their captain stepped in front of the platoon with his rifle and bayonet held ready.

"Sir Auron! You're under arrest! By order of Lord Seymour, no summoners or guardians are allowed to enter Zanarkand!" The soldier shouted. Auron smirked in response and took his battle stance, with his hands resting on the pommels of his swords.

"If this is the hill you want to die on, I won't keep you waiting. We're going into the coliseum, whether you like it or not." Auron assured them.

As he spoke, they heard the water shifting and waves crashed in the distance to the east. A shadow was cast over them, as Sin appeared out of the waters and floated close to the shore on the side of the coliseum opposite to where they had landed. The soldiers began to panic, and their captain ordered them to retreat back into the coliseum. Auron turned to face the great monstrosity, and his heart welled up with eagerness. He bade them to go on then.

"Go… I'll see to this." He told them. Barthello and Isaaru nodded to him, and then the brothers all rushed together up the steps and into the coliseum. Auron took his first step toward Sin, and he felt Lulu's warm, feminine hand on his arm.

"Do you really have to do this?" She asked, and her plump lips quivered as a tear rolled from her left eye down her white cheek. Auron reached up and gently swept the tear aside with his thumb, and he patted her face lovingly.

"Yes, I must. Go with the others. They may need you." He told her. He turned again to face Sin, and he strode across the pavement without fear. Lulu ran to the steps of the coliseum and lingered there to watch him for that moment. Auron neared Sin's face as it towered over the edge of the ruins, and he took his swords out from his belt. He let the scabbards slide from their blades and fall on the ground, and the swords gleamed in his hands. He felt the currents of power flowing up from the earth and into him, and he raised his hands up high as the sun blazed upon his swords. Green light and energy came up out of the ground and swirled around him like a sort of plasma. It coursed through his aura, making it visible, and the energy arced and pulsed around him, even shooting beams toward Sin as well. Auron opened his ghost eye then, all the way, and he saw the writhing spirits encased within Sin, and among them was Jecht. In the next instant, Jecht was transported out of them and placed kneeling upon the ground before Auron, leaving Sin inert. Jecht stood up firm and tall then, and he opened his dark brown eyes, casting them upon Auron. Jecht met his friend and adversary with a contented grin. Auron could see his old friend's aura, and it was a fiery, passionate red, but regal blue around his heart chakra. Within his heart there was the apparition of a white lion, restless and longing for freedom. Auron lowered his weapons then, but held them at the ready. They smiled at each other, and finally Jecht spoke.

"I knew you would be here when the time came, Auron. But that boy of mine… where is he? Have you let me down?" Jecht asked in disappointment. Auron merely shrugged.

"He's got your stubbornness, and twice as much arrogance. There was nothing I could do. But I had to make sure that I paid you your final rites myself, since he would not." Auron said in a conciliatory tone. Jecht nodded appreciatively.

"I should have expected as much. Oh well. He never understood me anyway. But you do, don't you comrade?" He said.

"I should hope so. I died for you." Auron replied. Jecht's face was solemn then, and he nodded gratefully.

"You might die for me again, I'm afraid. I'm sorry, but I can't help it. You know that, don't you?" Jecht said apologetically. Auron nodded.

"I know… and you know that I can't back down either. But it's fitting for us, isn't it? In fact it's better this way, I think." Auron said. Jecht smiled.

"I think you're right. You remember how it was when we first came here, with Braska?" Jecht asked, trying to live again through their shared memories. Auron nodded.

"As if it was yesterday." Auron said.

"Me too. I'm ready to see him again. Are you, old friend?" Jecht asked.

"Of course." Auron affirmed.

"I remember how we were then… ready to die and give up everything to save the world. Those boys you came here with… they're like us, aren't they?" Jecht inquired.

"Even more so than you might think." Auron replied.

"Will their sacrifice finally be enough?" Jecht asked, visibly upset.

"This time, I think it will. Come on, Jecht. Let's help them, and put an end to all this. There are things you should know, that I can't say with words." Auron said, as he flexed his muscular shoulders and raised his swords before him in a battle stance. Jecht smiled widely then, and his eyes shone with joy.

"Now you're speaking my language!" Jecht said, and he took hold of the long, broad-bladed scimitar sheathed at his waist, and pulled it ringing from its scabbard. It glistened with a blue blade, and shone mirror-like in the sun. He walked over to a pile of rusted weapons amid the nearby ruins, and pulled out a short sword with a darkened, tarnished blade. He strode across the pavement then, parallel to Auron, as they paced in front of the coliseum. They looked to each other and came to a halt, facing off in the middle of the plaza. They each took a breath, and in the next instant they sprang into battle. Jecht cleared the distance between them with an incredible dash, and his swords flashed like thunderbolts. Auron's guard was unbreakable, and sparks shot from their blades as they parried and struck, and countered each other.

Jecht generated a powerful field of energy in his aura, and in that instant it seemed that his swords could whirl about him as if in a cyclone or a magnetic orb, even flying around him out of his grasp. Auron was losing his guard then, but as he held his stance he felt a surge of power flooding into him from the ground and from the air. He stepped forward then, and broke Jecht's aura. The rusted sword clashed against his Daito then, and it was cleaved apart. The sheared off half of the blade went spiralling away across the pavement. Auron thought he had gained an upper hand, but as he blocked Jecht's scimitar he felt the broken edge of the rusty old sword rake across his ribs. Auron wheeled back and fended off another swing from the scimitar. He backed up and stuck his swords into the ground. He pulled off his long red coat and cast it aside. Blood was seeping out of the cut on his chest and lower left stomach. He then took up his swords and faced Jecht at the ready. They nodded to each other, and started again.

In the coliseum, Lulu rushed to catch up with Isaaru and the other guardians. When she reached them, they had stopped in the middle of a platform on the way to the back corridors of the structure. They had paused because they were watching a pair of ghosts that had appeared, conjured by the pyreflies. It was Seymour and his mother, pleading with each other over the end of their pilgrimage. As the two apparitions vanished, then they saw the visages of Auron, Jecht and Braska running down the path beside them.

"That was them… the last pilgrimage!" Maroda said.

"The coliseum is acting like a giant sphere… it contains the memories of the people who came here." Lulu explained.

"Let's keep going!" Barthello said determinedly. He led them on to the end of the pathway. When they entered the hallway at the back of the coliseum, they saw the soldiers waiting for them in the corridors. Shots were fired then, and Lulu used her magic to assail them as Barthello and Maroda charged in to fight, and Isaaru cast his white magic to protect and heal them. They fought through, killing the soldiers who would not yield to them. They finally ascended the steps and went into the next room, a round chamber with an illuminated blue floor, made of machina. It was the chamber of trials, but it had already been cleared and occupied by Yevon soldiers. They fought on through two more squads of enemies, and made their way to the elevator that took them down to the chamber of the Fayth.

"This is it brothers! We're nearly there!" Barthello said enthusiastically, glowing with positivity and relief.

"It's the Hall of the Final Summoning… Let's go!" Isaaru said, and they stepped onto the platform and activated it, beginning their descent. When they reached the bottom, the platform came to a slow halt with a heavy thud. They walked through a narrow corridor in the dark stone, and into the chamber of the Fayth. They stood behind Isaaru as he stepped up to the glass container which held the Fayth. Isaaru stared down upon it intently, but then suddenly he gasped in dismay.

"This is not a Fayth… it's an empty statue… what are we supposed to do?" Isaaru asked. Lulu stepped forth and peered around the room.

"There must be something more… something we're not seeing." she said. Suddenly the wall opposite to them on the other side of the drained Fayth capsule began to change; it turned transparent and faded away into a film of blue light, as an old ghost appeared before them, surrounded by a few sparse pyreflies. The old man was a Yevon priest. He spoke to them in his aged, tired voice.

"That statue is Lord Zaon, the first Fayth of the Final Summoning. It has since lost it's power… his soul, is gone. What you see there is all that remains of him. But fear not; come with me to meet Lady Yunalesca. She will bestow the Final Aeon upon you." The old man said, and he beckoned for them to follow him into the next chamber. Isaaru and Barthello went first, walking together through the door, followed by the rest of their companions. They stepped through a dark hallway and into a large room, round in shape, with a reddish floor. A stair led up to yet another hallway, into which the old ghost disappeared and someone else came striding through. It was a woman, with pale skin and long snowy white hair. She was surrounded by a visible aura of violet and faint blue, while pyreflies whirled around her. She stood at the top of the staircase and spoke to them with a wizened and emotionless voice.

"I congratulate you, summoner, on the completion of your pilgrimage. I will now bestow upon you that which you seek. The Final Summoning will be yours. Now… you must choose the one whom I will change, to become the Aeon of the Final Summoning. It should be your dearest companion, for there must be a strong bond between the summoner and their chosen guardian. That is what the Final Summoning embodies: a free-will sacrifice on behalf of humanity. If the bond is strong enough, then its light will conquer Sin. Once upon a time, one thousand years ago, I myself chose my husband Lord Zaon, and received the Final Summoning to defeat Sin. You have nothing to fear, for once you call forth the Final Aeon, your life will end, and you shall be freed from pain and worry. You see, death is the ultimate and final liberation." She said, watching them with cold amber eyes and an austere countenance. As she spoke they all shifted uneasily, and then abruptly she was quiet as a cluster of pyreflies flashed into form at the bottom of the stairs. It was the memory of Braska, Jecht and Auron.

"It is not too late! Please, let us turn back!" Auron begged Braska desperately.

"If I turn back, who will defeat Sin?" Braska asked him. "Would you have some other summoner and his guardians go through this?"

"But my Lord, there must be another way!" Auron pleaded. Jecht spoke then, firmly and with determination.

"This is the only way we got now… fine. Make me the Fayth. I've been doing some thinking. My dream is back in the other Zanarkand. I wanted to make that runt into a star blitz player! Show him the view from the top, you know… but now I know there's no way home for me. I'm never gonna see him again. My dream's never gonna come true. So make me the Fayth. I'll fight Sin along with ya, Braska. Then maybe my life will have meaning, ya know?"

"Don't do this Jecht! If you live, there may be another way! We'll think of something, I know!" Auron implored him passionately.

"Believe me, I've thought this through. Besides… I ain't gettin' any younger, so I might as well make myself useful!" Jecht determined. Braska stepped up to him then.

"Jecht…" He said.

"What? You're not gonna try to stop me too, are ya?" Jech asked indignantly.

"Sorry… I mean, thank you…" Braska said, with his face downcast. Jecht put his hands firmly on Braska's shoulders.

"Braska still has to fight Sin, Auron. Guard him well, make sure he gets there. Well, let's go…" Jecht said as he stepped past Auron and went up the steps, followed by Braska. Auron stared at the floor in anguish, but finally he turned and called after them.

"Lord Braska! Jecht!" He said.

"What now?" Jecht demanded impatiently.

"Sin always comes back… It comes back after the Calm, every time! The cycle will continue and your deaths will mean nothing!" Auron reasoned with them. Braska turned around and spoke.

"But there's always a chance it won't come back this time. It's worth trying." He said.

"I understand what you're saying, Auron. I'll find a way to break the cycle…" Jecht assured him.

"You have a plan?" Auron asked, incredulously.

"Jecht?" Braska asked in puzzlement.

"Trust me, I'll think of something!" Jecht said with a hearty laugh. The pyreflies dispersed then, and the three figures vanished. Lady Yunalesca had been watching them, but now she turned back to face the companions with a cruel smirk on her face, the first expression to have shown upon it since they encountered her.

"You see, that was the previous company to defeat Sin. They knew that the burden was incumbent upon them, and they made the right choice. Will you now choose as they did?" She asked. Lulu quivered then, and tears rolled down her pale cheeks.

"So that was Auron then… now I know why he feels the way he does. They had so much hope that they would be the last, even though he tried to convince them not to go. Now he finds himself here again, and it must have broken his heart. I have to leave… I don't want to watch anymore." She said, and she wiped her face and sniffed heavily as she turned to walk back out of the chamber.

"They had hoped to be the last, but in truth Sin will always come back. It is eternal. The Calm is mankind's only reprieve. Will you choose to end your own lives, in order to give this ultimate gift to the world?" She asked Isaaru.

"I will…" Isaaru said then, only slightly disheartened. Barthello stepped past him and spoke up firmly then.

"We go to our end, and it _will_ be the end of Sin. I don't care what you say, witch. I am not afraid. Death is not the ultimate liberation… love and truth, and will… these are liberation. Make me the Final Aeon. It is time and I am ready… for battle!" He demanded of her. Lady Yunalesca was unaffected, and she scowled at Isaaru.

"Do you choose this one?" She asked him pointedly. Isaaru nodded.

"Yes, I choose my brother, Barthello. He is the greatest hero I've ever known." Isaaru said. Barthello turned to him then, and wrapped his broad arms around him. When he released him from this embrace, Barthello handed the Great Horn over to Maroda.

"Use this, when it's time. I'll see you on the other side, brothers." Barthello said his last words.

"So be it." Lady Yunalesca replied, and she raised her hands up, channeling a beam of bright light upon Barthello. He disappeared then, and the bolt of light also beamed upon Isaaru, and he could feel the warrior's spirit flowing within him. He knew the soul of Barthello, his brother, and it was a spirit of incredible strength and compassion. Isaaru bent down and knelt on the floor in tears. Maroda and Pacce rushed to embrace him then.

"Are you alright big brother?" Maroda asked.

"He gave up everything for us!" Isaaru sobbed.

"It is done. Now you may go, and seek out Sin." Yunalesca said dispassionately, as she turned away and walked up the stairs to leave the chamber.

Meanwhile, on the plaza in front of the coliseum, Auron and Jecht remained pitted against each other in a death battle for the fate of the world. Jecht faced his old friend with a grin, and spoke in his raspy, deep voice. It was a sound of masculine essence, pride and joy.

"You know Auron, I've wanted to thank you all this time. You were right all along. We should have listened to you… I know you loved us both." Jecht said to him warmly.

"It's true. I came to think of you both as family… as brothers. I never forgave myself for letting you go. I knew better, but I did nothing." Auron said remorsefully.

"It's all good now. Just do me one last favor, will ya?" He beseeched his old comrade. Auron nodded in agreement.

"Of course. What is it?" He asked kindly.

"Before you pass on, tell my boy that I really did love him, and that I miss him." Jecht asked him. Again Auron nodded.

"I will… well, if I make it through this, right?" Auron said with a chuckle. Jecht laughed then, and he rushed in with his saber bearing down toward Auron. They fenced and parried, and Auron whirled his blades in a far-reaching flurry, but still Jecht countered him expertly, until at last the wakizashi skimmed across the bicep of his left arm and drew a thin line of blood across it. Jecht stepped back then, looking down upon his arm. He strode over to the pile of old weapons and retrieved another sword, this time a long-bladed scimitar, and then he came back to face Auron and continue the duel. Auron lunged forward and locked both blades against Jecht's weapons, and they strained with all their might against each other.

Lulu came rushing out of the coliseum then, and saw them both locked in fierce competition. She watched helplessly as they whirled about back and forth, each of them sustaining wounds and fighting to overcome the other. After a few moments she heard footsteps on the stair behind her, as Isaaru and his brothers came stepping down from the coliseum. She looked upon them with frantic desperation.

"Do you have the Final Aeon? Summon him, quickly!" She cried. Isaaru looked upon her drearily, but said nothing as he stepped onto the plaza and began a Grand Summoning, using all of his will and intention to call up the spirits within him. Maroda took up the Great Horn then, and breathed deep as he lifted it up to his lips. He let forth a long and deep blast from the horn, and it vibrated heavily out across the sky and the sea. When he finally put down the horn, he watched the sea as the waves began crashing into the shore around the ruins. Soon the sea began foaming, and a huge wave rose up from it just as before, then Valka began to appear. The great ocean lord rose up from the waves and lifted up his trident and axe, ready for battle. The body of Sin was still frozen in place on the water, near the shore. (The theme of the final battle is "The Great Horn" by Doomsword)

In the next moment Isaaru's aura became visible and began to glow. Soon his whole body began to glow with white light, until his entire form appeared as white light. Out of his form shot ten beams of light, and each one opened a portal in the air above the plaza. Out of each portal came the Aeons that Isaaru had collected on his pilgrimage, and the Final Aeon, Barthello, appeared from a spectral mountain cast upon the sky by his summoning. He was in the form of a stone giant, and he came hulking down the magic mountain and onto the plaza, with the other Aeons. Then the mountain disappeared. He was vaguely familiar, looking similar to his human form, but he was fifty feet tall. The plaza cracked and shook under his giant feet. He carried a huge steel chain with a spiked steel ball at the end of it. His chiseled stone skin was covered only by a huge canvas wrapped around his waist and covering his thighs, and it was the flag of his home country. His eyes were blazing blue fire. The giant flag wrapped around him was a deep blue field, with a pale woman upon it, and her blonde hair cascaded around her. She was holding a golden harp in one arm, and an eight-pointed silver star was glistening just within reach of the outstretched fingers of her other hand, as her arm reached skyward. She sat by the trunk of a faded white tree decorated sparsely with pink cherry blossoms that showered their petals onto the breeze, and on the plain at her feet sprang up purple thistle blooms. A shield and a battle-axe rested by her feet against the tree trunk. She was the Lady Brigit, mother of the Calian people.

Barthello took up his mighty, clanking chain and stepped across the plaza toward the shore were Sin rested. The other Aeons followed him, and they soon beset Sin's body. The Aeons ripped Sin apart, into ten pieces. Valka put his trident into Sin's back, and with his axe he cut off the tail of Sin. Barthello wound his chain around Sin's right arm and tore it off. Donar raised up his hammer, and with a supercharged bolt from the sky, he severed Sin's left arm. Zulrik used his sword to hack off Sin's head, and cleave open its chest. Dogoda flung his scimitars into a whirlwind that sliced through Sin's left leg, while Anima shot a blinding beam that blasted off Sin's right leg. Valefor, Ifrit, Ixion and Bahamut went into Sin's body and pulled out its heart, liver, stomach and intestines.

Something else came crawling out of the carrion of Sin's body, and it began creeping along the shore toward Barthello. It was like a tick, with tendrils and legs protruding from a bulbous, sickly red and black body. Donar and Zulrik sighted the fiend, and they alerted Barthello. The stone-giant Aeon raised his steel chain, and Donar sent several massive, arcing lightning bolts into the chain and the steel ball. Sparks began shooting from the spikes, as Barthello swung it up and brought it crashing down upon Yu Yevon, smashing and incinerating it at once. In the crater left by Barthello's weapon, there was nothing left but dust, smoke and ash, and scattering pyreflies.

Sin was dead then, and in the next instant Jecht faltered while he struggled against Auron, and he lost grip of his weapons just as Auron swung toward him. The daito slashed over Jecht's forearm and across his chest, and he stumbled backward. Jecht looked over his wounds and his arms and hands, and soon his whole figure became translucent as pyreflies sighed out from his body. Auron watched his old friend with surprise and bewilderment as Jecht began to slowly fade away. Auron felt a change coming over himself as well; he dropped his swords, as his grip weakened. He looked down upon his numb, unresponsive hands, and he could see a green, hazy energy flowing out of them and pouring down into the ground. The hazy light flowed out of his whole body and sank down into the earth where he stood. Auron began teetering back and forth, and he stumbled backward, and then fell onto the ground.

Lulu saw Auron collapse and she ran hastily to his side, kneeling on the ground by him and weeping in distraught anguish.

"What's happening to you?" She asked frantically.

"The world's life force, that was given to me at Sanubia, is leaving me now." Auron answered in a soft, weary voice.

"Are you dying?" Lulu asked in fright.

"No… I'm already dead." Auron answered her plainly, as a few pyreflies began drifting out of his body then. Lulu screamed in agony and despair.

"No! You can't go! Don't leave me like this!" She cried as she clung tightly to him. She buried her face in his chest as she sobbed. Auron placed a gentle hand upon her head and spoke.

"Lulu…" He said softly, and she raised her head to look into his eye. Her face was streaming with tears. Auron brushed a few of them aside with his feeble fingers. "Don't cry for me. I was nothing but the bitter memories of a man whose last thoughts were of rage, and sorrow. It was only when I knew you that I had life again. But my time is done now… you have so much more time left. Learn to live and love again, and be happy. Do that for me, and it will be a better legacy than any of my old memories." Auron beseeched her.

"But where will I go? What will I do now, without you?" She asked desperately.

"Back home to Besaid, or elsewhere… it is up to you. This world is yours now." He told her placidly. Jecht's apparition floated gently toward them then.

"Are you ready to go now, old friend?" He asked softly. Auron nodded his head, making a weak gesture as his strength faded from him. The two of them faded into pyreflies then, and with a soft sighing sound, they drifted away. Lulu screamed in misery then, and she fell onto the sand, gripping it tightly in her fingers while she sobbed and moaned. Across the plaza, Barthello the stone giant stepped over to the coliseum. He could see Isaaru laying on the ground, dying, his body and spirit overtaxed by the Final Summoning. His brothers knelt beside him, desperately trying to revive him, but to no avail. Barthello lumbered over to the steps of the coliseum, and there he sat down, never to rise again. He rested his elbows upon his knees, and rested his stone chin on the palm of one of his hands, staring across the ruins of Zanarkand in tragic contemplation. The blue fire of his eyes dimmed swiftly then, and was soon extinguished. His body turned to solid stone, forever sealing the entrance to the ancient coliseum. Isaaru's body dispersed into pyreflies, and Maroda and Pacce cried out in anguish. Across the sky, the Aeons drifted over the body of Sin, and over the sea, and they soon burst into pyreflies themselves, and were gone. Valka sank back into the sea, and only the Valor remained.

Maroda sat on the ground, holding his brother Pacce as they both wept, and in his hand he still clutched the Great Horn. A deep, rumbling voice flowed with the wind, coming to them from the sea.

" _Return that which was given to you."_ The voice commanded him. As Maroda looked to the shore, he suddenly saw half a dozen glinting figures spring up above the waves, and they gathered on the sandy beach. They were mermaids. They whistled and laughed with feminine, girlish voices, and called out to him, crooning in some strange language. Maroda stood up then, smoldering within, and tears streamed from his eyes as he walked over toward them. He held out the Great Horn, and one of the girls snatched it, and then they all sprang back into the sea and paddled away. One of them appeared above the waves again, from the belly up. It was the blond mermaid, with her cascading necklace of jewels upon her breasts, and she winked and blew a kiss to him, while she held the Great Horn in her other hand. She rolled back under the waves then, and disappeared.

As he stood there on the shore, gazing at the sea, Maroda was joined by Pacce, who clung to his arm. They stared emptily at the water, until in the glistening sunlight they saw an apparition come forth, standing on the edge of the water, just in front of them. It was Isaaru.

"Big brother!" Pacce cried out. He sprang forward to embrace the ghost, and fell right through Isaaru's legs. Maroda pulled him back onto the shore then, and together they faced the visage of their brother, weeping in sorrow.

"Isaaru! Why did you have to go?" Pacce asked.

"What are we going to do now, Brother? Why didn't you choose me?" Maroda asked him with a hurt expression.

"I was doing all of this for you, brothers. Now the world is free, and you are too. How can you ask me such things now of all times?" Isaaru replied to them. Pacce began sobbing, and Maroda wept freely.

"I never knew it would feel like this… Brother, you were the best of us! I don't feel right being left behind now. How can I enjoy a world that was purchased with such a bitter sacrifice?" Maroda asked.

"It is bittersweet, isn't it? So much of life is this way, of course. Do not mourn for me, brothers, and don't be miserable on my account. The sweetness of liberation is pure. I was happy to go, and happy to make the sacrifice. I lost nothing and gained everything. For what would have happened, had I shirked my duties and abandoned the quest? I would have been resented, and accomplished nothing in life, and all our problems would have remained the same. You know that I was always a misfit, always different, don't you remember, Maroda? But this way is better, because my memory will always be young and pure, and good. I will not be seen falling into old age, into decadence or compromise, I won't be tainted by the world. I will be remembered as a much better person than I actually was. That is the gift you have given me; a good memory, a good legacy. I thank you for that. You will do well in life, brothers. You were true and blameless, and loyal to me. I cherish you for that. Go forth now into the world, and make something of yourselves. Farewell, my brothers…" Isaaru said his final words to them, and then he turned and walked away into the sea, and disappeared.

Near their ship, Brock and his crew stood watching the culmination of events, silent and dim. While they watched, the apparition of Barthello came to them, and they gazed wide-eyed upon him. Only Brock spoke then.

"You've done it, Brother! You saved our world. I feel ashamed now, that you cannot enjoy it with us…" Brock said. Barthello shook his head.

"Feel no shame, my comrades. You did right by us, and helped us to this end. I pass on now without remorse. I have only one request of you now." Barthello said. Immediately Brock nodded with eagerness.

"Anything for you, comrade! What must we do?" He asked.

"Take care of my wife... at least in so far as she allows you to do so. Ensure that she is secure, and that she arrives safely wherever she wishes to go." Barthello implored him. Brock agreed.

"Yes comrade, it will be done!" He said. Barthello nodded gratefully.

"Thank you. With that, I bid you farewell." Barthello said. As he spoke, they heard the rolling of golden chariot wheels, and the clapping of hooves. Donar came up beside them, upon his golden chariot, drawn by his rams. Zulrik rode beside him on a ghostly dapple stallion. They looked upon Barthello, beaming with pride.

"There's always one more seat at the table, in the halls of the Valor. Would you choose to come with us, Barthello, and join the great host? If you desire it, the magic of Wulfgar can make you one of us. May you long defend Cale-Albia, if you should volunteer to do so." Donar asked him. Barthello's apparition glowed brightly with a noble blue light. He nodded firmly.

"It would be my greatest honor! Of course I accept!" He said.

"Come along then, and ride with me!" Donar beckoned for him. Brock and his crew cheered loudly and sounded their horns in salute, as Barthello stepped into the golden chariot with Donar. The Valor hastened away then and soared up into the sky, riding across the clouds on the way back to the northern isles.

Brock and his crew boarded their ship then, and he went to seek the remaining companions of the final pilgrimage. Maroda and Pacce came walking slowly toward him.

"Are you ready to leave, boys? If you wish it, I can take you home from here. I feel I owe to you, and I am sorry for your loss." He offered them. Maroda nodded in acceptance. It would have been a long walk home for them otherwise.

"Thank you, Lord Brock. We appreciate everything you've done for us." Maroda said, with a cracking voice and tears in his eyes.

"Very well. What about the lady, Lulu? Where has she gone?" He asked them. Maroda remembered her then, and he quickly glanced around the plaza. He saw her laying on the sands far across the way, near the old ruined road. Lulu laid on the said, and looking emptily to the space where Auron had been. The side of her face rested on the ground, and her tears streamed into the sand. She hadn't noticed yet, but a patch of soft, green clover began sprouting under her and all around where she lay. Finally it tickled her chin, and she sat up, looking at this miraculous development. Just then, right before her eyes a large, two-leafed sprout came jetting up out of the soil, where Auron had laid. It was an oak sprout. Lulu gazed upon it lovingly, and she caressed the two leaves gently with her fingers. She heard the sound of the airship overhead then, and the white vessel Fahrenheit gleamed in the sunlight as it came hovering over the plaza to make a landing. It lowered gently down upon the plaza, and the ramp opened. Immediately Paine and Yuna came running out from it.

In the control room, Rikku suddenly broke free from Tidus' arms, as if he had just let her go. Without thinking or hesitating, she ran through the ship to the exit ramp. She found Paine and Yuna standing before the steps of the coliseum, utterly mystified as they gazed upon the statue that blocked it.

"I don't understand… I never heard of this before. Is it supposed to be here?" Paine asked in puzzlement. She looked upon the face then, and suddenly she recognized it. "What?! What is this?!" She demanded in shock. Yuna turned to look toward the coast, and saw the dismembered body of Sin, writhing and sinking into the water, or drifting off out to sea. Her mouth opened partly in disbelief. She turned back to Paine then, and saw the ship anchored on the other side of the coliseum, and there she spotted Maroda and Brock walking toward her. She went to meet them.

"Maroda, what happened here? Where is Sir Jecht? Lulu, and Isaaru? What about Barthello?" She asked desperately. Maroda looked upon her with deep sadness and a weary face.

"They're gone. Only his hollow Fayth remains. That's him." Maroda told her, pointing to the statue. As soon as he had said it, they heard Paine scream, and she fell down at the feet of the statue. She was wailing and crying, and laid face down on the steps. Rikku stood by the ramp then, confused and dejected. While the three girls stood there in silence, Lulu slowly approached the airship, and stood between them all. She glanced from one to the other, and finally spoke.

"Yuna, it's good to see you again. I'm glad they rescued you. There's nothing more to do here now, but thank you for coming after us." She said softly, in a voice that seemed calm and composed as was typical of Lulu, yet in the breaths and spaces between words, something else lingered; something deeply wounded and tragic. Tidus appeared in the doorway of the airship then, and he came stepping down the ramp to join them. He looked to Lulu and spoke.

"Where is Auron? And… what happened to my old man?" He asked her.

"They fought, and fulfilled their destiny. Auron told me, that this is our world now. Your father asked him to tell you… that he loved you. That was all." Lulu said warmly, but it was clearly difficult for her to say any more. Tidus walked over the plaza with downcast eyes.

"And Sin?" He asked her. Lulu nodded her head.

"We destroyed it. It is done." She said. Rikku was enlivened then, and she ran to embrace Tidus. She reached out with her arms to wrap them around his body, but she caught nothing but air. She stumbled forward and fell to her knees on the ground. She shrieked in utter shock then, and immediately whipped around to face him. His figure was translucent, and pyreflies circled around his torso where she had passed through him. Tidus was wide-eyed, looking just as surprised as she was, and he looked at his arms and hands in dismay.

"Rikku…" He stammered as he said her name in despair. He glanced desperately at all of them, confused and distraught. Lulu and Yuna watched him with sorrow, but they both knew what had happened. Rikku turned away then, and stared at the ground, trembling and weeping. Lulu was the only one who could speak.

"It's because you were never part of our world. Your Zanarkand is gone now. It died with Sin, and with your father. The memory of it is leaving our world forever." She said wisely. Tidus nodded, and turned away to the sea. The sun was behind them, setting to the west, but its last red rays gleamed upon the darkening waters. He knew that he had to leave then.

"Rikku, I have to go. I'm sorry that it had to be this way… I should have known better." He said apologetically. Rikku spoke softly then, breaking her silence.

"I love you." She said. She stood up then, with her back still turned to him. Tidus stepped up behind her and wrapped his spectral arms around her shoulders and chest. He faded into her partly, and a tear rolled down her cheek from her emerald green eyes. He released her, and then turned to the eastern coast and sprinted to it, fading away into the last golden light that glinted upon the water. He was gone. Rikku wept as she walked toward the ramp of the airship, and she looked to Paine, who still laid on the steps of the coliseum. They were both silently seething now.

"Are you finally happy, that I've lost something?" She asked. Paine shook her head.

"No. Your suffering is no comfort to me. I've lost everything, and now I wish that I had done better for my friends… I wish I had gone with him, to the end. Now I have only regret, and shame." She lamented bleakly. Brock strode quietly toward her then, and offered his condolences.

"You still have family back home, on Cale-Albia. Your husband died a hero, a world-hero. His name will last forever in the sagas of our people. Let me take you home, and his parents will shelter you. The chieftain will provide for you." Brock assured her. Paine shook her head, smoldering with anguish.

"No. Leave me alone. I don't want to be sheltered or provided for… I want to be by myself." She determined, and she stood up then and strode away across the plaza, toward the ruined road that led to the pass of Mount Gagazet.

"Paine, please don't go!" Yuna called to her, but she did not stop and did not respond. She went on walking at a quickened pace. Brock watched her leave, dejected and upset. He spoke to two of his men.

"Follow her, without her knowing it, and keep her safe. I will tell Chief Beorg of what has happened here, and send relief for you." He instructed them. They did as he told them, following slowly behind Paine, keeping distant from her. Brock sighed in weariness and lament. He finally went back to his ship, and both Pacce and Maroda joined him. They sailed southward then, to take the two brothers home. Rikku stepped over to the stone stairs under Barthello's statue, and she sat down in silence. Yuna and Lulu joined her, sitting on either side of the young Al-Bhed girl. They said nothing, but simply sat with her for a long time and watched the peaceful ruins. Soon the sun was gone, and the night sky came alive with thousands upon thousands of glistening stars. They watched the crescent moon and the starry sky for a long time. Neither Yuna nor Lulu wanted to break the silence before the girl was ready. Then finally Rikku spoke up.

"I told him we should wait, until we were married. Now I regret it. If I had given myself to him, I might have something to remember him by… I might have a family." She surmised. Lulu shook her head.

"He was like an Unsent. You couldn't have had a child with him." She said.

"Maybe so… still, I wish that I had given him everything. Then I would have no regrets." She lamented.

"It would hurt more now, if you had." Lulu assured her. Rikku looked to the ground and hid her face. Lulu sighed deeply.

"Let's go home, girls. Sin may be gone, and all our boys with him, but the world will just keep turning. We're all still young… too young to give up on life." She said. Lulu stood up then and walked up the ramp into the airship.

"I know you loved him too. I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself." Rikku apologized to Yuna.

"There's nothing to be sorry about. None of us can afford to be afraid to live, and reach for what we desire. Life has so many twists and turns; it could ruin you or reward you at any moment. Lulu is right. Let's go home." Yuna said, taking hold of Rikku's hand, and together they got up and went into the airship. The Fahrenheit started up then, and lifted into the sky. It bore them all back to Besaid, to their quiet island retreat, away from the world.

(From this point I'm going to continue the story in a much different way; it will introduce events and characters from another fanfiction I've made in the past. If that will be too offsetting for some, then you can end the story here.)


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16: The Son of the Earth

A warm, fresh breeze rolled in above the soft waves on the shores of Besaid island, and gently rocked the palm and coconut trees over the rocky hills. It gusted between the old machina city ruins, and over the quiet, empty docks. By the time it reached the little yurts and the old Yevon temple, it was barely noticeable as a cool refreshment to the folk of the little village.

Yuna sighed softly as she stood atop the hill over the village, by the old spire where pilgrims, summoners, guardians and crusaders had once offered their final prayers before leaving the quiet little island. She gazed across the seas to the north, placid and blue as they often were in the afternoon, and the waves shimmered with the daylight, reflecting brightly upon her differently colored eyes, turning one cerulean as the sky, and the other jade as if it were an emerald or a tropic forest. Her pale skin was cloudlike in the midday light pouring through the clear sky. Yuna liked to stand here on the hill often, to be alone with her thoughts and reminisce on the pilgrimage and her captivity in Bevelle, and the end of her travels across Spira. It filled her with a dreadful yearning and incompleteness, as she mourned quietly for her lost friends and despaired for the outside world, of which she had heard only rumors brought in by the occasional trade ship or acolytes from New Yevon visiting the temple. She had not left Besaid in nine months, since the day that her friends had finished their pilgrimage at Zanarkand, and she had recovered her cousin Rikku and her guardian Lulu. Once Cid had delivered them back to the island they had never left.

Yuna gazed down to the ground then, and slowly turned to wander back down the hill to the village of Besaid. She strode dreamily into the settlement, absent minded and gazing wistfully upon the temple. As she walked by, Lulu came out of the lifted veil of her yurt and spoke up in greeting.

"Yuna, have you spoken to Rikku yet?" She asked. Yuna turned to face her then, and saw Lulu clothed in dark robes, with one hand rested upon her round belly, holding a golden amulet over her navel that was hung on the end of a long necklace of topaz prayer beads. Her smoldering amber eyes glinted wearily upon Yuna as she waited for an answer. Yuna shook her head slowly.

"Not yet. I'll go to see her soon. Just give me a little while to think…" Yuna implored her.

"I need you to do this for me, Yuna. I can't do this alone." Lulu urged her, and her whole figure sulked visibly. Yuna nodded in agreement.

"I will, I promise. It'll be alright…" Yuna said, trying to reassure Lulu, almost pleading with her. Lulu nodded in acceptance, and turned to step back into her yurt. Yuna walked on into the temple and stood in the main chamber, gazing upon the icons of the saints and heroes of old Yevon. Her father's statue beamed placidly down upon her. Yuna walked to the benches along the side of the chamber and sat down, contemplating to herself in silence. After an hour had passed she stood up and left the temple, and went back out of the village and up the hill on the path toward the harbor. As she crossed the bridges alongside the waterfalls on the north side of the island, she watched the pure water pour down over the rocks below and into the salt water of the sea. She made a double take as she crossed the first bridge, and saw a large, rainbow-scaled tail fin flap once and then sink into the water. She scanned the water for a moment, but saw nothing of further interest or suspicion.

Yuna moved on then, down upon the sandy white beach and toward the clear shallows, along which Rikku was laying out on a large beach towel. The Al-Bhed girl was fond of sunbathing on the beach these past months, allowing the days to pass idly by as she swam in the sea, went diving for pearls and sea-shells, and sometimes drifted listlessly around the forest and the ruins with some of the other teenage girls on the isle. Some of them were scattered across the beach with her, laying on towels or mats in various states of undress. There were fewer young men on the island to pursue the girls now; many had gone out into the world for work or adventures, others tended the temple or the fishing lanes. The young girls had taken Rikku's lead and lost much of their modesty, so they spent their days absorbing the sunlight, soaking in oil, and covering their bodies with trinkets.

Rikku was sprawled out on the beach towel, clothed only in a scanty bikini, colored a blend of yellow, orange and violet, almost like a sunrise. Her blonde hair had grown long, reaching to her hips, and it was bound back from her face by two braids, one on either side of her slender, youthful face. The rest of her hair flowed freely like a cascade of golden threads, over her shoulders and breasts, and across her lean belly. She was noticeably taller; her legs and hips were widening into a womanly shape. She was sixteen now. Rikku's eyes were closed and her whole body was relaxed, until she heard Yuna's soft footsteps across the sand. She shielded her eyes from the sun with one hand and peered up at Yuna.

"Something up, cousin?" She asked unabashedly.

"Just looking for you… I was hoping you had a minute to talk." Yuna replied.

"Sure thing. What's bothering ya, Yunie? How come you never lay out with us?" Rikku prodded her. Yuna merely ignored the suggestion and raised the matter at hand.

"Lulu asked me to talk to you. Her baby will be born soon. I'm staying to help with the birth… but sometime after that I'll be gone for a while, and when I leave she will need someone to help her with the baby." Yuna said with a hint of desperation. Rikku sat up then with a short sigh. She looked sympathetically upon Yuna, with a quick nod.

"Okay… you know I'd much rather go with you, but if this is what you want me to do, then just promise me you won't be gone too long." Rikku bargained with her.

"I wish I could take you with me, but I need you to take care of Lulu and the baby. It's too important… I don't want her to be left alone." Yuna said solemnly.

"So then why are you leaving?" Rikku asked. Yuna stared out at the clear shallows, hesitating briefly.

"Because too much was left undone, and too many people were left without… a proper goodbye." Yuna said, and her eyes shimmered with sentiment, wading in tears that collected slowly in the corners of her eyes. She forced herself not to cry; she looked up to the sunny sky, to dry her eyes, then she looked back down to Rikku. Yuna's cousin watched her with a hint of concern. The Al-Bhed girl's innocent green eyes were tinted with anxiety.

"Are you sure you want to be alone out there? Are you sure it's safe now?" Rikku asked. Yuna nodded with determination. She was certain that she wanted to undertake this task, and she wanted to prove to herself and others that she could do it alone.

"Yes, I'll be fine. Besides, Uncle Cid said he would take me anywhere I want to go and he'll be waiting on standby if I need help with anything." Yuna assured her. Rikku nodded in acceptance.

"Fair enough Yunie. Just remember that my old man can be a handful sometimes." Rikku warned her. Yuna smiled faintly.

"I'm sure this will give me a chance to get to know him better. Maybe he'll be less stubborn if I work on him a bit." She supposed. Rikku shrugged her shoulders.

"You're welcome to try." She said, and then she put her sunshades back on and laid down upon her beach towel again. "Just come see me again before you leave, cousin."

"Of course I will." Yuna agreed. With that she gazed out over the calm little bay and its clear aquamarine tinted waters. She turned back soon and left her cousin to bask in the sun.

Yuna spent the next two weeks roaming idly around Besaid. She spent the early mornings and late afternoons at prayer in the temple, or contemplating upon her father's statue. One day while at prayer, she heard quickened footsteps rushing into the temple. She heard a young girl's call to her.

"Yuna!" Rikku called. Yuna opened her eyes and looked over her shoulder from where she sat upon a colored rug in the middle of the temple floor.

"What is it?" Yuna asked.

"It's Lulu! Her baby is coming now!" Rikku said frantically. Yuna immediately got up and hurried from the temple, as Rikku sprinted ahead of her. They went to Lulu's tent, where an old man and some old women were tending to her. They had buckets of hot water and blankets ready, as Lulu was convulsing in the pangs of giving birth. Yuna went to her bedside then, and placed her hand upon Lulu's forehead, ignoring her muttering and cries of pain. Yuna channeled her healing magic, and gave strength to her surrogate sister in her time of need. Her eyes were closed, and then Yuna saw a light in the darkness, glowing white and increasing as it drew close. She heard one last scream then, and opened her eyes.

"It's a boy!" Rikku shouted in excitement, as the old man and the old women began cleaning the baby and tending to him while he cried, drawing his first breaths. Yuna looked down to Lulu then, and they both gave out a sigh of relief in unison.

"What's his name?" Rikku asked the new mother.

"Castor. That's what I'll call him." Lulu answered, and then she reached out for her child as the elders relinquished him to her. Yuna looked upon the boy and suddenly she felt that the light in her vision was him.

"Somehow I feel… that he is a special child." Yuna said softly.

"Of course he is… he's Auron's son, and he is mine." Lulu said with a smile, and she nursed her child and closed her eyes, falling asleep. Yuna turned her gaze toward Rikku and saw a melancholy expression upon her young face. Yuna was bewildered by this, but soon the realization came to her; this child was a reminder of Rikku's grief upon having lost Tidus. Yuna cast her eyes downward then, and left the tent without speaking.

For the few weeks after the birth of Castor, Yuna and Rikku both did all they could to assist Lulu. A month after the boy was born, Yuna decided that it was time for her journey to begin. She went to speak with Lulu in her tent that day. As Lulu sat on her bedside nursing the baby boy, Yuna sat in a chair across from her, while an oil lamp burned on the desk beside them and the smell of herbs cooking on the fire outside wafted in around them.

"I've decided that it's time for me to go now. I'll be sending the signal to Cid tonight." Yuna informed her.

"Alright. Thank you for all your help with the baby. You know that I'll miss you, Yuna... but before you go, please listen to me this once." Lulu beseeched her. Yuna nodded quickly in acquiescence.

"What is it, Lulu?" She asked.

"I'll be worried about you, of course. Keep this in mind, Yuna, that both Yevon and the Guado will remember your marriage to Seymour. They will try to use it against you, if there is any reason they wish to stop you or control you. You're the daughter of Lord Braska, after all, and everyone in Spira still loves you. They consider you the daughter of Spira. It may be best for you to avoid Bevelle and Guadosalam, and do what you can to travel unnoticed." Lulu advised her. Yuna nodded in agreement.

"I'll try to stay out of politics, if I can. I just want to help the common people cope with this new age." Yuna told her. Lulu shrugged.

"Trying to do that without being drawn into politics will be difficult. These days, no good deed goes unpunished. If you challenge the schemes of those in charge, you may find yourself on the wrong side of their struggle for dominance. Be careful, whatever you do. I don't want to lose you!" Lulu said firmly. Yuna nodded immediately.

"I will, Lulu, don't worry. I'll be alright. I just want to go out and have a look at things, to see what is happening in the world. I'll be careful, and discreet." Yuna assured her. Lulu finally nodded in acceptance.

"Fair enough. Say goodbye to the island, Yuna, and come to see me again before you leave." Lulu urged her.

"I will. One more thing, Lulu... please look after Rikku if you can. I know it's a lot to ask, now that you have a child, but keep her with you and try to be understanding toward her. I have a feeling that she is upset." Yuna said anxiously.

"Yes, I think you're right. She is still upset about what happened at the end of the pilgrimage... and she's envious perhaps. She's bitter at being alone. I wish she could find another young man, but many of them are leaving Besaid. I doubt she would be willing to pursue anyone else; Tidus was special to her. I wish I could help her, but I'm afraid it's something that only time can heal. I'll try to keep her busy, at least." Lulu offered.

"Thank you. That will have to do, until I return. I'll see you again soon, Lulu." Yuna said, and she left the tent to go to the temple for her last prayers before the departure.

That night Yuna was sitting on the bedside in her tent, and from under a desk near the bed she slid out a large wooden box. It was an Al-Bhed shipping crate, rectangular in shape with a metal-rimmed lid capping it. Yuna pried open the lid and slid it off onto the floor mat. She gazed down upon the items in the box. At the top of the pile was the little signal beacon device that her uncle, Cid, had given to her. It rested upon some old folded up clothes; a knee-length blue skirt and a white gi jacket, made of durable fabric. These clothes were the recruit's training outfit once used by young women joining the Crusaders. She had found them in a chest at the foot of one of the cots in the abandoned Crusaders' tent in Besaid, after coming home from the pilgrimage. For some reason she hadn't fully grasped at the time, she decided to keep them, as well as a pair of black leather combat boots, which rested by the side of her bed.

Yuna reached for the signal beacon and took it from the box, and she pressed the initiating button with her small, thin thumb. The light above the button turned green. She knew then that her uncle would be on his way soon. She set the beacon aside and then reached for the folded garments and lifted them out of the crate. When she took them out, she had uncovered two weapons and a rolled up combat belt at the bottom of the crate. Yuna froze for an instant when she saw them again, but she took a deep breath and set aside the clothes in her hands, and reached down to retrieve the arms from the box.

One of these was a machina weapon; an assault rifle with a bayonet attached to its barrel and a sling clasped to its stock and heat shield. There were some extra magazines and rounds for it in the pouches of the combat belt. Yuna was reminded of when she acquired this weapon as her slender fingers slid over its smooth surface. It was the same rifle she had used in Bevelle, to escape her captors and rescue the citizens of the city from rampaging fiends. She took the assault rifle out of the crate and rested it on her bed. She then reached in for the other, and more terrible weapon she had kept from that day. It was the red dragon wand, the one used by Seymour Guado himself. She had taken it from him on that day, and used it in her first and last summoning of the mighty Aeon, Bahamut. She had lost her own wand, and so she kept in case the need for such a tool might find her again.

There were no longer any Aeons to summon in Spira, at least not within the precincts of Yevon. The old Fayth had faded after the death of Sin. Now in the Eternal Calm it seemed that there was no need and no place for summoners or their Aeons. Still, Yuna kept the wand as an aid to her casting of white magic… and perhaps because some part of her hoped that one day it would summon again, something and somehow. This was only a vague and concealed sentiment lingering in her heart, but it was enough to convince her not to discard the weapon. She was unnerved by it, however, as it had been the implement of Seymour and his wickedness. Now as she slid her fingers around it once more she felt a creeping power stir ever so slightly within the wand. It was a dark power, perhaps a malevolent one, yet it obeyed her will and channeled her energy without fail, and with great effectiveness. Yuna laid the wand across her bed beside the rifle, and she made the rest of her preparations while she waited.

In the evening, Yuna stood at the edge of the village, gazing out to sea, while Rikku and the young girls began lighting the fireplace in the middle of the village. Soon the orange fires grew tall upon the dry branches piled up in the sandy fire pit, and as the sky gradually darkened, the firelight painted the tents gold and orange with its light. Rikku came stepping up behind Yuna then, and rested her hand upon her cousin's upper arm. Yuna glanced over her shoulder and smiled faintly.

"Hi Rikku…" She said.

"Hey Yunie… you know, I've been thinking… maybe you shouldn't do this." Rikku said softly. Yuna nodded and then turned her gaze back onto the darkening sea and the stars as they began to appear scattered across the sky.

"Maybe, but I think I need to do it." Yuna said solemnly.

"Are you sure? I mean, it's safe and quiet here on Besaid, but the rest of Spira is a big place where anything could happen. There's a lot out there that we've never seen, even on the pilgrimage. There are lots of different people with different dreams and desires, and some of them don't get along well with others. I don't know much, but I've heard some rumors from the Al-Bhed sailors and traders when they land here. It sounds like a lot of people out there are using the Calm as a chance to promote themselves and take whatever they want. It could be dangerous, you know… and it would definitely be upsetting to watch." Rikku forewarned anxiously. Again Yuna nodded, this time with a deep sigh.

"I know. I've heard the rumors too. That's why I have to go, and see for myself. I have to offer help, if I can." She said.

"Do you really want to get wrapped up in all that?" Rikku asked her despairingly. Yuna turned back to face her cousin with a smile, and took hold of her hand gently.

"I'll be alright, Rikku. Don't worry. I can keep myself out of trouble if I want to." Yuna assured her gently.

"That's the problem though… this time you're going to be alone! You should at least take someone with you!" Rikku implored her. Yuna placed her hands on Rikku's shoulders and spoke.

"I'm sure I'll meet some old friends along the way, or even some new ones. I don't think anyone will hold a grudge against me. I was ready to do everything I could for Spira back then, and I am still ready for it now. Besides, I'll have an airship at my call, with an army of Al-Bhed aboard it. I'll be fine, Rikku; there's no need to worry." Yuna insisted. Finally Rikku nodded in acceptance, and the two girls hugged each other tightly, and Rikku kissed Yuna's cheek.

"Alright Yunie; let's go to the fireplace and have some fun before you leave!" the Al-Bhed girl urged her, and she tugged Yuna along by the hand. They went to join the girls in the middle of the village, and danced and laughed together while a couple of the girls played drums and a flute for them. They stayed up late into the night, and finally fell asleep huddled together on towels in the sand, beside the smoldering ashes of the fire.

Yuna woke up in the morning as the sunlight was pouring over the island. She was laying strewn upon a towel in the sand, with Rikku beside her and the Al-Bhed girl's arms and legs were wrapped around her. Yuna slowly and gently wiggled free, and then stepped quietly into her tent. Yuna washed herself clean in the tent that served as the girls' bath house, and then she returned to her own tent to dress and prepare for departure. As she clothed herself in the recruit's training outfit and strapped on the combat boots, she suddenly heard a faint beep issue from the signal beacon. The light on it had turned yellow. This meant that the Fahrenheit had arrived in the harbor. Yuna quickly laced up her boots and strapped the combat belt around her slender waist. She then slung the assault rifle over her shoulder and took hold of the wand, and walked out of her tent.

Yuna went to the exit of the village, but she found Lulu standing there by the wall, waiting for her.

"You weren't going to leave without saying goodbye, I hope?" Lulu said, and she glanced down upon the baby boy in her arms. Paris was sleeping peacefully in her arms.

"Of course not. I checked your tent and you weren't there." Yuna said defensively.

"That's good. I'll miss you, Yuna. Promise me you'll be careful… and remember what I told you before." Lulu reminded her. Yuna nodded in agreement.

"I will. Thank you, Lulu. You've always looked out for me, but now it's time for me to put your teaching to use." Yuna said, and she stepped close to embrace her surrogate sister once more before leaving. Lulu hugged her with one arm while she held her baby in the other, and she pressed her forehead against Yuna's. Once she released Yuna, Lulu then spoke with tears in her amber eyes, reddened in the morning light.

"Yuna, I couldn't protect you last time, and we all suffered because of it. Now I have this child to look after, and I'm afraid of what will happen to you. I know it was painful for you… I know that you lost so much. Whatever is left of your innocence, please protect it, and don't allow it to be lost along the way. Come home safely, whatever you do." Lulu urged her. Yuna nodded once more.

"I will, Lulu. I know that I'm young, but I have the will to do this now. I am ready." Yuna assured her. With that, Lulu kissed Yuna's cheek, and released her. Yuna walked up the hill on the path to the harbor, turning back to wave as Lulu waved to her in parting. She went over the hill and offered a silent prayer at the old spire, before continuing on her way down to the harbor. She arrived on the beach to find Cid's airship sitting in the shallow water across from the harbor, and the entry ramp to the Fahrenheit was stretched down onto the sand. Yuna saw Rikku and her brother standing on the beach beside the ramp, and Cid was striding down it to join them. Yuna strode across the beach and they greeted her as she drew close.

"Yuna! Long time no see, little girl!" Cid said with a gruff yet mirthful voice. He stepped close to embrace her, and hugged her tightly.

"It's good to see you too, Uncle Cid!" Yuna replied with a smile as she wrapped her arms around the old Al-Bhed captain.

"Just remember that I'm holding you responsible if anything happens to Yunie!" Rikku interjected with a demanding tone.

"Relax, will ya? I've got a whole arsenal onboard and two platoons of good men." Cid replied indignantly.

"You mean pirates? I hope you're going to keep an eye on them all!" Rikku retorted. At this remark, her brother spit on the sand and spoke in Al-Bhed, with a resentful tone, but Cid merely shrugged.

"Yeah, every one of them is a fighting man, and they're loyal to me. Call them whatever you want, but this is my ship and it runs by my rules.

"Oh really? What rules exactly?" Rikku asked.

"The golden rule; Al-Bhed take care of Al-Bhed, and everyone else better watch out." Cid said unabashedly. Rikku rolled her eyes.

"It's alright, Rikku. I'm not worried. I'll be fine." Yuna said to her cousin.

"Of course you will, you're my niece! So how about we get this show on the road, without any more complaints?" Cid said boisterously. Yuna nodded in agreement and then hugged Rikku once more before she strode up the ramp and into the ship. The Al-Bhed family lingered on the beach, watching as Yuna disappeared inside the ship. Rikku sniffled and her eyes began to dampen.

"Will you knock that off!" Cid said irritably.

"Don't you try to pretend that everything is okay! Don't tell me not to be worried!" Rikku burst at him.

"I'm not pretending anything! Damn it girl, you think I don't know there's problems in the world? I'm doing my best, but no one trusts the Al-Bhed… maybe Yuna can talk sense to people in a way that I can't. Just give me a break, will ya? I'd protect her with my own life." He swore sincerely. Rikku finally nodded and walked away down the beach, toward the jungle. Cid sighed somberly as he watched his daughter depart.

"Come on boy! It's up to you and me then." Cid said to his son, and together they strode up the ramp and into the ship. A few moments later, the Fahrenheit lifted up into the air, and soon accelerated out of the harbor and across the seas, flying northward to Kilika.

Elsewhere in Spira, there was another quest which began that day, as dusk cast its last rays upon the Calm Lands and the slopes of Mount Gagazet.

On the steppes of the Calm Lands, near the northern edge, a meeting took place between two bands of warriors. The first was already waiting by the edge of Sin's Scar, or the northern ravine of the Calm Lands, which spanned from the cliffs in the north to the entrance into the canyon where laid the bridge to Mount Gagazet's slopes. This band included a dozen men and a few women, but they were all wild and unlike the common people of Spira. They were tribal people from the harsh and rocky lands of Sin's Wake, in the mountainous region northwest of Bevelle. They were clad in dark animal skins and furs. Some of them wore reptile skins or black leather armor. They were all adorned with black feathers in their hair or on their shoulders, and dangling from their armbands and bracelets. Most of them were pale-skinned with amber-colored eyes, and long black hair that was left loose, or with a few braids woven in it. Many of them were tattooed with various tribal symbols and patterns, but the one they shared in common was that of a black eagle with outstretched wings and perilous talons.

These warriors were awaiting the arrival of another band for parlay, but they had received word that their guests were delayed by an ambush at the bridge across the canyon of the stolen Fayth. The ambush was launched by Yevon troops, in their efforts to subdue the wave of banditry and raiding in the region. The other band of warriors was few in number but powerful in spirit and their mastery of arms was unrivaled, thus they triumphed easily and annihilated the Yevon troops. Soon they appeared on the plains of the Calm Lands, and came striding vigorously along the side of the ravine to reach their hosts. These men were from the Djose region originally, part of a nomadic tribe that raided the Mushroom Rock Road too often to evade notice, and had been ruthlessly quelled by Yevon's armies. Now only a few of them remained. They were clad in furs or dark ponchos, and wore black fighting fatigues with dark leather armor. They were all men, and most of them young.

As the two bands met at the northeastern corner of the steppe, they were directly beside the steep ravine and also the straight drop of the northern rock face that fell from the Calm Lands down into the northern ocean, and a thin shoreline of sharp rocks beside it. On this precipice, the two tribes saluted each other and their leaders stepped forth between them.

From the Black Eagle tribe there came a woman, with long black hair that was braided into locks that reached to her waist, and were pinned with black feathers around her head. She was clad in a tattered black skirt and tall black boots, plated with steel greaves. Her upper body was naked, apart from a broad girdle that straddled her waist, made of leather and covered with steel scales. Her breasts were covered by a net that was adorned with hundreds of beads, comprised of gold, jade, fire opal, seashell, and steel scales. This net was hung from a collar around her neck. Her eyes were surrounded a stripe of black war paint, and they shone violet in color, as if they were a pair of fiery stars. Her forearms were clad in leather bracers, and her upper arms were wound with golden rings. She stepped forth out from among her people, with a spear in one hand, and she thrust it into the ground to show that she was willing to disarm and speak.

From amongst the Red Blade tribe from Djose, there stepped out a tall and muscular young man, with pale skin and short black hair that fell in locks about his youthful face. His powerful arms were bare, but covered with tattoos, and he wore a black vest and trousers, and tall leather boots. A belt of weapons was around his midriff, which he unbuckled and allowed to fall to the grass at his feet. He walked confidently toward his host from the other tribe, and greeted her with a smirk on his handsome face, and eyes that gleamed like red amber. His hands were huge and roughened, suited to the weapons of war, and many scars lined his skin. Behind him, his men held their war dogs on chains, keeping them at bay. They kept vicious and powerful lupines as their pets.

The two leaders saluted each other once more and then met between their bands, greeting each other with familiar yet hostile tones. The woman spoke first.

"Setanta! I remember seeing you when we were both young. You still look like a boy, but you have the strength of many men. I wonder, will a beard ever darken that pale chin of yours?" She teased him with a venomous smile. Setanta's smirk curved even more starkly on one side of his face, and he chuckled as he beamed at her with a fiery gaze.

"Raven… you look womanly enough. Still not married, are you? Had you been born in the Red Blade clan, you'd have given us many strong sons." He retorted bluntly, and he leered unabashedly over the curves of her body.

"I'm a widow, for the moment. My first husband died in battle with Yevon, the second died in our bed. Neither of them could give me sons." She replied haughtily. Setanta shrugged his broad, mighty shoulders.

"Maybe it was you, who couldn't give them sons." He suggested crassly, and he tilted his head back with a boisterous laugh, and all his men guffawed as well. Raven's eyes seared brightly then.

"Your dogs can howl all they like, but I've heard that your own fortunes are no better. It seems that all your piety and pompousness has failed you." She reminded him pointedly. Setanta merely nodded.

"It's true. We've fallen on hard times. The Red Blades have been decimated, and it will be difficult to recover. Perhaps the days of our clan are over. Either way, I'm done with the past and with dead creeds. Sin is dead, and this world is up for the taking." He said bitterly, with burning ambition. Raven saw something in him that appealed to her then.

"Indeed, the world is ripe, and it would be a waste to let your talents go unused. They once called you Setanta the devil-killer… and now they just call you Setanta the Slayer! Embrace it, and you can accomplish much!" She advised him. Setanta coyly tilted his head to one side.

"Really? I was just about to sell my sword and take up farming." He said with a smile. This time all of them laughed loudly.

"I heard about your battle in the canyon. I have a gift for you that may cheer you up. We captured some of the stragglers who fled. You may take ownership of them now." She offered, and as she spoke her warriors brought forth three men from their midst, all of them clad in Yevon tunics, and their hands were bound with rope.

"Setanta, these are the ones that surrendered. What should we do with them?" One of the Black Eagles asked the young warlord. Setanta turned his eyes upon the kneeling and whimpering prisoners with sharp disdain.

"Throw them over the edge." He said dourly. The prisoners wailed as they were dragged away and soon hurled off the side of the cliffs, to their deaths thousands of feet below in the rocky sea. Raven gazed upon Setanta in bewilderment and wonder then, and she spoke with a low, sultry voice.

"What happened to you, bad boy?" She asked him, both mystified and allured.

"I lost my religion." Setanta answered plainly. Raven nodded in contentment.

"I see… well then, maybe you should join ours." She suggested. Setanta scoffed.

"Really? And have your Gods been answering prayers lately?" He asked bitterly.

"Come with us to Sin's Wake, and you'll witness the power of our rituals for yourself." She offered. Setanta gazed upon her with dark ambition then.

"Why not?" He said, and then the Black Eagles cheered and raised their voices in victorious cries, as the two bands joined together and left the Calm Lands to travel to the rocky wastes of the tribal territory of the Black Eagle tribe.

(Setanta's theme is "El Gringo" by Manowar)


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17 : The New Calm

From the white clouds over the sea near Kilika there emerged swiftly a white ship, and the sunlight glistened upon the hull of the Fahrenheit as it hovered down over the forest of the small tropic island. Trees bent over or snapped as the airship lowered itself into concealment, and let down its boarding ramp onto the forest floor.

In the loading bay, Cid and Yuna stood before the ramp and spoke together.

"New Yevon controls Kilika now. They don't like Al-Bhed. Someone will surely have seen us land, but it will take them a while to find us and there aren't many soldiers on the island, so they'll probably just keep an eye on us. You should go through the forest to the town of Kilika, before you go anywhere else. Some people will recognize you, but no one should bother you here. You can ask around about the temple and the new Yevon Tower being built in the bay. Decide for yourself if you want to investigate, but keep the signal beacon with you wherever you go, so we can track you and so you can call for us if need be." Cid advised her. Yuna nodded.

"I will. Thank you, Uncle Cid. I'll try not to draw too much attention." Yuna said.

"Here, take this." Cid said, as he pulled a rain poncho off of a hook nearby the exit, and he handed it to Yuna. It rested easy upon her shoulders and had a hood that could be drawn over her head.

"Thank you." Yuna said.

"It may rain soon, so you'll have an excuse to keep covered. It should make it a little easier to go unnoticed. Like I said, Kilika island is Yevonite territory, but there are some spies and recruiters from some new organization called the Youth League. It's a group of young people who recruit teenagers and teach them to fight, and give them an ideology that Yevon doesn't like. I'm not really familiar with the details, so you'll have to figure it out as you go along. Good luck out there, and call us if you have any trouble." Cid told her lastly. He hugged Yuna, and when he released her, she turned and stepped down the ramp into the jungle.

The forest floor was cool, under the thick canopy. Yuna made her way until she found the paths that ran between the temple and the little port village of Kilika. She decided to turn toward the latter, and went striding through the open gate into town. She saw only a few Yevon soldiers in Kilika, and mostly they were inattentive. They kept their eyes on the harbor and the seas, from a little tower by the docks. Yuna avoided the docks, and strode through the village to the traveler's house where she had stayed on her first visit during the pilgrimage.

Yuna entered the arched doorway of the little inn and found the bar full of patrons, who sat with their drinks and watched a screen at the top of the wall behind the bar. It was a sphere wave transmitter. Yuna was a bit surprised by this; she had not imagined that such things would have made their way to Kilika. On the screen there were lupine races playing, in what appeared to be an arena somewhere on the outskirts of Luca. In the rest of the chamber there were people seated at round tables, eating and drinking. Yuna stepped slowly across the room and sat alone in the corner. Once she had taken her seat, she saw a dark young man stand up from his seat and come striding across the floor toward her. He pulled up a chair at the table by her, and sat close to her.

"Hello there… Lady Yuna. Do you remember me?" He asked, with a soft tone.

"Maroda? What are you doing here?" She asked him in surprise, and she quickly reached over to hug him. Maroda embraced her, and spoke as soon as she released him and they sat facing each other.

"I live here now, with Pacce. He's playing with the other kids down by the docks. We moved here from Luca after the pilgrimage, to get some peace and quiet." Maroda told her.

"Really? It's good to see you again, I hope you're doing well." Yuna said graciously. Maroda shrugged.

"We're doing alright, I guess. So what brings you here, Yuna? And how did you get here?" He asked.

"Well, I've been in Besaid ever since the end of the pilgrimage. I finally decided to travel Spira, so that I could see how people are getting along with the new Calm. I was hoping to find some old friends, and I'm glad that I met you here." Yuna said. Maroda nodded, but his face was dim and austere.

"I see… well, it is good to see you too, but I wish it was at a better time. If you want to know, I would tell you that people are not getting along well with each other so far. It seems like the Eternal Calm was something nobody really ever expected to come, and now they're all anxious to stay in control, or take power from somebody else. Yevon fell apart for a few months after the pilgrimage, but now they're back and trying to regain the status they had before. Not everyone wants them to come back, however, so it's causing a bit of a conflict." Maroda informed her. Yuna looked at him in puzzlement and dismay.

"Not everyone? You mean like the Youth League?" She asked. Maroda nodded with a faint grin.

"Sure, them and a few others." He said briefly.

"What do you know about them? Who are they and what do they want?" Yuna asked eagerly.

"Well, I hope I can trust you with this, Lady Yuna… because I'm one of them. I don't participate in missions, but I keep an eye on things here in Kilika, since New Yevon has decided to take over my new hometown. I was recruited a few months ago. I'm not very important to anything, but I learned about their goals and methods. It's an ideology called Byodo Dotoku. They teach that there should be equality and fraternity in society, and that all people should enjoy liberty and freedom to choose their own lifestyle. They want to establish a democracy in Spira, to replace the authoritarianism and traditionalism of Yevon. Most of their recruits are young, and their leader is a man named Hideyo Matsunori." Maroda informed her.

"Don't you mean 'your' leader?" Yuna asked him. Maroda shrugged.

"I'm not so sure I want a leader, quite frankly… besides, I may be sympathetic to some of their goals, but I'm not sure yet if I can endorse their methods. I can't really blame them for defending themselves against Yevon's thugs, but they have no respect for shrines or idols, and they don't seem to appreciate the sacrifice that my brother and your father made for this world. I don't think I can fully endorse that mentality." Maroda admitted. Yuna nodded in agreement.

"Can you tell me anything about their leader, and their organization? How many of them are there?" Yuna asked.

"The leader, Hideyo, took charge a few months ago, and since then they've been a lot more aggressive. The founder of the Youth League was a man named Nooj. Hideyo didn't like him much; felt that he was too passive and too moderate, and wasn't getting results fast enough. When he found out that Nooj used to be friends with Baralai, the Praetor of New Yevon, well he figured that was the reason for the stalemate between them, and it was the last straw. So Hideyo launched a coup and took control of the Youth League. He made Nooj disappear. Rumors have it that Nooj was killed.

"As for the organization, there's several thousand of them camping in the Djose canyons beside Mushroom Rock Road. They keep growing in numbers, and they seem to have effective recruiting methods, especially with young people. That really scares Bevelle and New Yevon. They seem to be drawing in recruits everywhere and fast, from all the different races of Spira, and that is scaring everyone else in power. The Ronso hate them. The Al-Bhed don't particularly care for them. Various merchant companies and trade guilds in Luca, also despise them. Only the Guado seem to be friendly or at least neutral to them, and there are some Guado elders in high positions in the organization. Yevon and the Guado don't exactly get along anymore, ever since what happened in Bevelle at the end of the last pilgrimage. I'm sure you know why." Maroda explained to her. Yuna stared at the table in dismay then.

"I had no idea all of this was moving so quickly." She said with a sigh. Maroda nodded.

"Here, let me go buy you a drink, and we can talk more." He offered, and Yuna nodded in gratitude as he stood up and went to the bar. When he returned with their cups, Yuna continued with her questions.

"I'm looking for some old friends. I don't really know where to begin." She said.

"Oh really? I might know something helpful, or I could ask some friends of mine. Who specifically are you looking for?" Maroda asked.

"I want to find Paine, most of all. She went off on her own after the pilgrimage…" Yuna said.

"That's right, I remember. Sorry, but I think she'll be hard to find. I haven't seen or heard of her since that day." Maroda told her.

"I would like to know where Wakka is, and if he's alright. He left the party at Lake Macalania, and said he was going home, but he never went back to Besaid." Yuna continued.

"You mean Coach Wakka? Oh! Well that's easy. He's in Luca, training a blitzball team called the Narwhals. He's doing well, from what I can tell. You might see him on the screen sometime if you're here; his team is pretty good." Maroda told her with a smile. Yuna finally cheered up.

"Really? That's wonderful news! I have to go see him then…" Yuna said eagerly.

"Good! I'm glad I could do something for you!" Maroda replied with contentment. They shared a drink together and chatted about recent developments in Luca.

"Well, there's at least one city in Spira that is doing well and keeping trouble out, for the most part anyway. That's Luca… because of the games. They added some new arenas, some new sports, and they've been expanding their sphere-broadcasting capabilities. The city is bustling with trade and business… it's where a lot of young men go for work. I was thinking about going back, since the construction started on Yevon Tower here and it's not safe for Youth League members, but I don't think I should." He said hesitantly.

"Why not?" Yuna asked.

"Somehow it's just too noisy and fast-moving. It makes me forget about my old life." Maroda replied.

"You mean life under Sin? Don't you want to move on?" She asked.

"No… I meant life with my brothers." Maroda replied. Yuna immediately shrunk back then, and gazed downward once more.

"I'm sorry." She said gently. Maroda shook his head, looking ashamed.

"No, it's alright. I shouldn't have sprung it on you like that. Anyway, I should be trying to help you out, since you're making the rounds across Spira to check on us all. You know, I think you're the only girl who would do something like that these days." He said apologetically.

"Really? Well… I suppose I should ask if there's anyone else I should know about before I go. I'm wondering if I might be able to visit the temple while I'm here…" Yuna inquired.

"I wouldn't go to Kilika temple right now if I were you. It's starting to become more like a fortress and they don't like visitors anymore. But I wish you luck on the rest of your journey… If you're going to do much traveling by foot, watch out for bandits and tribal raiders. If you're going to be sailing, watch out for pirates, especially on the east coast. We didn't have to think about them much in the past, because of Sin and the Crusaders, but nowadays there's been a lot more tribal people coming down from the mountains and backwoods of Spira. Most of them are wild, and they're causing a lot of problems for farmers and villagers. Yevon has been sending its armies to wipe them out, but there's still a lot of them around." Maroda warned her.

"Alright, I'll be careful. I suppose I should go then, and head to Luca." She concluded.

"I'm just curious, by the way… how did you get here? Are you traveling alone?" Maroda asked.

"I was brought here by my Uncle Cid, in his airship. He told me he would transport me around Spira for this trip." Yuna answered plainly. Maroda nodded in understanding then.

"Ahh… I see. Yeah, that vessel of his has been on everyone's mind since it was seen over Bevelle. He might not be alone in the skies for much longer… a lot of factions are working really hard to create their own flying machines, now that they know it can be done." Maroda said.

"I'm sure he'll love to hear that." Yuna said with a bit of sarcasm, and both of them chuckled as they finished their drinks. With that, they stood up and said their goodbyes, and Yuna made her way back down the boardwalks of Kilika to the jungle trail where she had come from. Once back in the airship, she asked Cid to take her to Luca. It was not a long flight for the airship. In the afternoon they reached the city, and Cid took his ship down on the countryside by the Mi'ihen Highroad, near the outskirts of Luca. Yuna and Cid went down the ramp together.

"You know that Maroda told me there are other people trying to make airships now." Yuna said to her uncle.

"Is that so? Well I hope they plan on making some landing zones too. That would be nice for a change." Cid quipped gruffly. Yuna laughed.

"I'll be in the city for a few hours, probably. I don't know how long it will take to find Wakka, but he's famous, so it shouldn't be hard." Yuna surmised. Cid nodded.

"I'll be going with you. Luca is full of young single men and migrants from all over Spira. It's not the kinda place for a girl to wander around by herself anymore." Cid told her firmly. Yuna merely nodded and they strode side-by-side down the Mi'ihen Highroad and into the city limits of Luca. They went through the market plaza, and Yuna was immediately reminded of the last time she was there, during the blitzball tournament when she and Tidus had roamed the city searching for Sir Auron. She stopped in her tracks for that moment, as if she were drawn into another time.

"You alright, Kid?" Cid asked her, as he placed a roughened hand upon her shoulder. Yuna snapped out of her trance and faced him with a faint smile of appreciation.

"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you. Let's keep moving, and look for Wakka. We should start by asking at the stadium. Someone there will definitely know how we can get in touch with him." Yuna suggested. Cid nodded, and together they walked through the city streets on their way to the harbor and the blitzball stadium.

As they passed through the city, Yuna realized that it had indeed grown, both upward and outward. Bustling markets were expanding across the main street of the city. Three new arenas had been built; one with a track for animal races, another with sand for a desert sport called Dune Ball, which had been imported from Bikanel Island and the Al-Bhed, and one more with a ring for wrestling, boxing and various fighting tournaments. There were apartment buildings under construction that would house thousands of tenants, toward the eastern side of the city. The harbor was busier than it had been even during the tournament, and new piers were under construction along the coast by the city.

"This is amazing! Luca is beginning to look like one of the great cities from before Sin." Yuna remarked wondrously.

"Sure is. It would be moving along even faster if they let us help with our machina, but Yevon still doesn't approve of us spreading technology to their territory. Still, we're allowed to visit Luca for trade and for sports. It's the only city on the continent that we can move freely in." Cid told her.

"Why are they still restricting the Al-Bhed?" Yuna asked him.

"Well they didn't want to take responsibility for what happened at Operation Mi'ihen, of course, so they blamed it all on us. They're trying to convince the common people that Sin could come back if we're allowed to spread our technology and modernize Spira. I'd imagine it's mostly to do with control, of course. If technology spreads, so does access to knowledge and resources. If the people had that, then Yevon's authority and power structure would be eroded." Cid speculated.

"But how can they stop it?" Yuna asked.

"They can't. Not without a major crackdown and a lot of violence, and that would turn people against them. I've had enough fighting for one lifetime; our way will win in the end, and I'm patient. I just want to take care of my people, and live a good life with my family… what's left of it." Cid admitted plainly. Yuna grinned with contentment.

"That sounds like a great plan. I'm glad to be a part of it, even if it's a small family for now." Yuna said happily. Cid smiled, but he immediately called upon her implication.

"Well hold on, what do ya mean 'for now'? You're not thinking of making a new addition to the family, are ya? And don't tell me that I've gotta keep tabs on Rikku now! You girls better not cause me any more grief; I'm too old for that kind of stress." He said gruffly.

"No, no! There's nothing going on, Uncle, not for now." Yuna assured him. Cid nodded and faintly smiled.

"That's good. I don't want my niece taken in by some kind of rogue. We'll find a good young man for ya, soon enough. Don't worry about anything, darling." He assured her. Yuna laughed, and they continued on their walk until they reached the entrance of the stadium. They approached the ticket and information counter, and Yuna spoke to the girls inside.

"Hello, I'm looking for a man named Wakka. I'm an old friend of his, and we haven't seen each other in almost a year. I heard that he's a coach now, and he lives here in Luca. Do you know anyone who could tell me where to find him?" Yuna asked. The girl at the counter nodded.

"Coach Wakka lives on Coral Beach. It's a new settlement on the coastal hills east of the city. He's usually training his team in the shallow bay nearby it. You can look there, or try asking around at the dog races. He won a small fortune betting there when it first opened, and he usually goes during the week to pick up some spending money… or lose it." The girl informed her. Yuna nodded gratefully and then she and Cid made their way to the eastern coast. They walked along white sands and onto a red brick road, down the way to a luxurious settlement among the palm trees and rolling hills. As they were strolling about, Yuna looked out to the waters and saw the shallow bay, with clear water and majestic sea fronds growing on its floor. She saw some young men training with a blitz ball on the beach, and some of them swam in the water. In the sand nearby was a bamboo flagpole and from it waved a dark blue banner with a black and white narwhal embroidered upon it. Yuna knew that these men must be part of Wakka's team.

When Yuna and Cid strode out onto the white sands, they saw a few members of the team come swimming back to shore and emerge from the waters. One of them was Wakka himself. He was clad in wading trousers and naked above the waist. He had gotten slimmer and more muscular. His hair was cut a bit shorter, and blue bandana with the team's mascot embroidered upon it was wrapped around his forehead. When he strode onto the sand, he spoke to one of his team members who had timed them during their swim with a metered hourglass.

"How did we do?" Wakka asked him.

"Almost matched the record, Coach. Just two seconds away." The young man answered. Wakka nodded and then glanced around the beach at his team. Then suddenly his eyes fell upon Cid and Yuna. Immediately his face changed, as the scowl evaporated into a look of bewilderment and then a smile. He came rushing to embrace her, and he put his big arms around Yuna, wrapping her up tightly.

"Yuna! Little girl from Besaid! It's been awhile, ya? How have ya been?" He asked her elatedly.

"I've been doing well, Wakka! It's so good to see you again! I heard you're a coach again, and your team is great!" She replied happily. Wakka finally released his grasp of her and held her at arm's length, gazing upon her with relief.

"It's great to have you here! I'll send the boys home and you can come to visit my place. Is this a friend of yours?" he asked, extending his hand to Cid.

"He's my Uncle Cid! I'm traveling Spira with him." Yuna answered.

"It's an honor to meet you then, Cid! You're both welcome any time! C'mon, let's go!" He said as he put his arms around them and led them across the beach toward his villa, a white stone household with a luxuriant and spacious design. They entered the front door, and as they passed through the entry hall they were greeted by a shaggy-eared dog, who followed them sniffing and barking gladly as they crossed into the dining room and were greeted by a slender, dark-haired young girl who looked to be about Yuna's age.

"Hey Baby, are you already done for the day? Who are these guests with you?" She asked him with a chipper voice.

"Ya Hon, they're a couple of friends of mine. This here is Yuna, and her Uncle Cid. They'll be hanging out tonight, and for as long as they want to stay!" Wakka said enthusiastically.

"Oh really! Well it's a pleasure to meet you both! My name is Megumi!" She introduced herself. Both Yuna and Cid bowed to her graciously.

"Thank you for having us, it's wonderful to meet you!" Yuna said to her.

"I look forward to hearing all about you, but I suppose I should get something ready for dinner first, right Baby?" Megumi asked Wakka.

"Ya, you do that Love. I really appreciate it." He said as he led his guests to the back patio, by the side of a large, clear blue pool that filled his back yard. The reddish-furred and shaggy-eared dog was joined by another of the same breed, but of a darker and more russet color, and together they dashed around Wakka's legs and out the door, whereupon they both lunged into the pool.

"What are their names?" Yuna asked gleefully.

"Kino and Mino. Don't worry about being particular, they'll both respond to either one. If they get in yer way just push through 'em; they're a couple o' knuckleheads, let me tell ya! Anyway, sit down and let's catch up. How have ya been, Sister?" Wakka asked eagerly.

"I've been well. Honestly, I've enjoyed being able to relax in Besaid without having to worry about anything." Yuna lied. Wakka saw through her, and he grinned in amusement.

"Not worrying, aye? And yet here you are now." He said with a chuckle.

"I… I suppose you're right, in a way… I am concerned about things. I want to find some old friends, and see what's happening in Spira now. I want to make sure that the people are doing well." Yuna admitted. Wakka gave a short nod.

"Here in Luca everybody is doing well enough, ya. Sure, there's some problems, but then again, growth always comes with a little pain. As for the rest of Spira, it varies, but I don't know a lot about it. I just try to do my best here." Wakka said.

"I see. I wanted to find you, and I heard that you were living in Luca. I was worried about you, because you never came back to Besaid after the pilgrimage. I am sorry, about the way that things went. I wish I could have done things differently, but I didn't have a choice then." Yuna said apologetically. Wakka was quiet for a moment, as he gazed bleakly into the pool. He sighed shortly, and then spoke.

"There's no need to apologize, Yuna. I should be sorry to you, really. The reason I didn't go back to Besaid, is cuz' I was too ashamed ya see. I didn't want to face everybody there, an' tell 'em that the party broke up. And I felt bad for letting you go, instead of fighting for you. I was too hot-headed back then. I got mad, just because of the girl, Rikku. I shouldn't have acted that way; even if she is an Al-Bhed, that didn't have anything to do with you and the mission, ya?" Wakka said. Immediately Cid stood up, fuming and with brows furrowed in anger.

"I'll tell you what it has to do with her! They're cousins! And Rikku is my daughter! And who do you think you are, you jackass?!" Cid said, raising his voice. Yuna immediately got up to try to calm her uncle, and she placed her hands gently on his arms.

"Uncle Cid! Please don't be upset! He didn't know. We were all very devoted to Yevon back then. I should have explained things better to him." Yuna said, desperately trying to settle things down. Wakka looked away in sadness and shame.

"I've heard enough. Yuna, I'm going back to the ship. Call me when you're done here, and I'll pick you up on the beach." Cid said boisterously, and he stormed out of the yard and back across the beach. Yuna stood there in dejected silence for a moment, before she fell back into her chair, drained of her energy and mirth. Wakka spoke softly then.

"I'm the one who should be sorry, Yuna. I let my anger and my ignorance take over me. I shouldn't have let you go, for any reason. I should have gone with the others to find you." He said somberly.

"It's alright, Wakka. I told you all to leave for a reason. Seymour forced me to do it, or else he would have killed you all. He had Kimahri killed on the way back from Macalania Temple, in an ambush. Lulu told me about it. Seymour said he would let all of my friends live if I agreed to go with him, but apparently he changed his mind." Yuna said dimly. Wakka's eyes began to tear up then.

"I just missed the ambush. When I was crossing Lake Macalania, some bandits chased me off. I ran back to Guadosalam and they gave up the chase. I didn't know there were more of them, or that the others were in danger..." He said mournfully. Yuna sat closer to him and rested her hand on his arm.

"It's not your fault, Wakka. You didn't do anything wrong, and I don't blame you for anything. I'm happy to know that you're doing well here in Luca, and I hope you have a long and peaceful life. I'll go now, but we'll meet again someday." Yuna said, and she stood up from her seat to leave. Wakka took hold of her wrist to stop her.

"No! Yuna, please don't go like this! I'm sorry for what I said, but you don't have to leave!" He urged her.

"I'm not mad, Wakka, but everyone is upset, and it wouldn't be the right time for us to enjoy each other's company. I'll come back to see you again. Just remember that I don't blame you for what happened; it's not your fault. Keep doing well for yourself, Wakka, and don't be sad. Goodbye." Yuna said, and she gently tugged out of his grasp and walked hastily to the beach to catch up with Cid. They didn't speak until they were back in the control room of the Fahrenheit, and then Cid abruptly asked:

"Alright kid, where's the next stop on this tour? Some place more peaceful, I hope?"

"Take me to Mount Gagazet. I want to speak with Kimahri's people." Yuna said as she wiped a tear from her cheek, and then she left the control room to go to her chambers. The airship lifted off of the Mi'ihen Highroad, and powered its way north to the mountains.

Meanwhile, on the rocky trails leading up to Sin's Wake, the warrior band of Red Blades and Black Eagles was still trudging along under the coming of dusk.

"How far away is the clan settlement?" Setanta asked Raven.

"It would take us two weeks to walk there, through the badlands of Sin's Wake, and more than likely we would never make it. These lands are home to some truly vicious fiends." She answered ominously.

"So then how will we get there?" Setanta inquired.

"You'll see, once we crest the top of this trail." Raven told him, and they kept walking.

Just before nightfall, the band reached the top of the trail, which ran over a tall and steep ring of mountainous terrain, which then steeply dropped to the ravines, stony hills and smaller mountains bellow. They reached the crest as the sun was setting, but even in the darkening sky, Setanta could see a horrendous morass below. There were jagged rocks and crevices lining every ridge and valley, as well as what appeared to be bogs and marshes scattered throughout the land. He could see something that appeared to be a huge snake-fiend slithering across the valley far below them. He thought that he could see a behemoth fiend on the prowl in the distance.

"How in Spira are we going to cross that?" Setanta demanded impatiently.

"As the crow flies." Raven answered, and then she was handed a long, curved horn by one of her comrades, and she raised it to her lips and inhaled deeply before blowing into it. A loud, high tone blasted from the mouth of the horn, and it echoed through the canyons and valleys below. Raven handed the horn back to her companion, and she glanced across the sky, waiting. After a moment, suddenly they heard a clamor of high-pitched screeches coming across the air, and then suddenly a large, black Zu fiend came flapping up from the ledge nearby them. The devil-bird roared loudly, and Setanta immediately reached for his weapons. Raven tapped her hand on his shoulder and pushed him back as she stepped before the giant black bird and raised her spear, making a high-pitched scream, a bird call intended to greet the beast. The Zu then flapped over the summit of the mountain and landed upon the rocks with heavy stomp that turned up a gust of wind.

The gust blew back Setanta's hair and his men stood in shock and awe as they watched the warrior maiden climb atop the Zu's back and sit atop its shoulders, clutching the feathers of its neck. She called down to them with instructions.

"All of you Red Blades, partner up with a Black Eagle for the ride. Hold on tight, and don't let go." She said. Just as she spoke, suddenly a dozen more Zu birds came flapping across the sky and landed upon the mountain trail, waiting for their riders to come to them. After a few moments of awkwardness and hasty teaming up, all of the warriors were atop the Zu's and they began to take flight, carrying their riders high over the crags and rocky terrain of Sin's Wake.

A few hours later, the black fiend-birds glided over open, bleak plains and steppes, sealed in by the rocky crags and mountains that surrounded the region and isolated it from the northern seas. This was the first such area they had seen in the whole region. Below them in the darkness there were several bonfires burning. The tribal enclave was in a canyon beside a lone mountain not far from the middle of Sin's Wake. There was a city made of sod and clay bricks, dusty gray in color, with reed-thatched roofs. These structures stood before a crude but colossal stone statue of an eagle. At the foot of it was the entrance to a cavern under the mountain. The Zu's began hovering down to land on a cleared range of the flat, sandy floor of the canyon. As they neared the ground, they could see the figures of other tribal people moving across the sandy plain to meet them.

Once the birds landed, Setanta and Raven slid off the back of their Zu and joined the rest of their comrades in walking across the plain to the greeting party. When they reached each other, they found dozens of warriors and four priestesses of the Black Eagle tribal cult. These young women were clad in black robes with large black feathers in their hair that formed a plume fanning in an arc from behind their heads. They wore necklaces of hundreds of red coral beads strung together, intermittently parted by beads of gold. These priestesses wore gold rings set with sacred gems, and carried carved staves of dark yellow and purple heartwood, with symbols etched upon them and topped with the figurine of an eagle's head. One of the priestesses stepped forth and spoke to Raven.

"The Dark Queen wishes to speak with you and your guest, Raven." She said lowly, with a voice that was almost a feminine purr.

"Of course. Take us there immediately." Raven replied. The priestesses turned and led them over the plain to the main street of the town, which led to the eagle monument and the mouth of a cave that led into the mountain. They entered the mountain upon carved steps and corridors, to a chamber deep within it. This was a royal court chamber, attended by dozens of warriors and also dozens of priestesses of the tribe. There was a throne of gold, with the emblem of a sun at the top of its back, and magnificent golden rays extended from it.

In the throne there sat a tall, long-legged and shapely woman. Her black hair flowed down over her bare breasts, and she wore a collar of gold chain with cascades of golden coins showering down from it across her chest. She was pale-skinned and her green eyes were the color of a verdant river. Black mascara surrounded her eyes, and her lips were blood red. She had long nails, sharpened as if they were claws, and they were painted black. Around her waist was a tattered black skirt. Her wrists and ankles were adorned with golden chains upon which dangled shining gold coins. She wore a dark leather band around her forehead, that held three black eagle talons over her brow and a fan of black feathers protruded from it behind her head.

As soon as his eyes fell upon her, Setanta was captivated by her stark yet alluring beauty. Like a tigress or a she-bear, the Dark Queen seemed a powerful and fertile woman. He noticed little else about her chamber, apart from the glow of red crystals that filled the chamber with a sanguine aura, and inflamed the senses of those who entered. The rich light glowed upon pure white marble pillars that reached to the ceiling of the cave, between its own native stalactites of yellow crystal that pointed down like the fangs of a serpent. The golden throne was upon a stage carved into the rock, with a sandy floor. Upon it her young priestesses performed the dance of the serpent, waving their arms and legs to the rhythm of a sultry flute, and they undulated their hips and bellies in a hypnotic motion.

Abruptly the Dark Queen reached for a white conch shell on the table beside her throne, and she blew into it, producing a deep and resonant tone. At this signal, all of her priestesses quickly ceased their dance and rushed to take their places on either side of her throne, and the flute fell silent. Warriors clad in black wolf-hides immediately surrounded her guests and disarmed them, and then Setanta and his men were escorted to the sands before her throne, by guards who held daggers and tomahawks at the ready. The Queen rolled her eyes lustily over Setanta once he was presented to her.

"So this is Setanta, the son of Suldane. He lives up to the rumors, it would seem." She said with a deep but purely feminine voice. Raven stepped forth and spoke.

"Yes, my Queen; I have brought him to you. These warriors are all that remain of the Red Blade tribe, unless Setanta can tell you otherwise." The warrior lady said. The Queen smiled with contentment.

"Is it so? For years I suffered irritation from Suldane and his piety. He would never align his tribe with ours. Whatever became of him, young Setanta?" She asked. Setanta spoke plainly and unwaveringly.

"He's alive, so far as I know. He went roaming the world alone, to be with his prayers and with his Lord. What he does or plans to do, I don't know, but he is growing old and he has no followers. He has no wives or family anymore; his only remaining child is me. Yevon saw to that, and it grieved him greatly." Setanta informed her, and his face was austere; clearly the remembrance of his father's misfortune still stung him as well. The Dark Queen shrugged her smooth shoulders.

"Such is life. I had once thought that Suldane's downfall would bring me satisfaction, but it has not. Perhaps we were kindred spirits all this time, for it turns out that his misfortune is a bitter and ashen taste to my lips. But no matter; the future may yet be ours. What say you, Setanta? Have you come to pledge yourself to my service and be initiated into the Black Eagle tribe? Or will you maintain your father's stubbornness?" She asked him pointedly. Setanta also shrugged his mighty shoulders.

"I would gladly pledge allegiance to you in both war and peace, but I must be honest; I plan to conquer, and I plan to be king. I have no idea how long it may take, but I would rather rule than be ruled, and I would rather die than serve." Setanta said confidently, and his men all cheered, at which point the guards shouted at them to be silent or bleed. When finally the chamber was quiet again, the Dark Queen faced Setanta with wild green eyes and a fierce expression on her pale face. This glare suddenly gave way to a wicked laugh, and she smiled upon Setanta with pleasure on her face. She reached for a large golden ring that sat upon her table, and slid it onto her finger. It was inlaid with diamonds, and the foremost of which was the size of her own thumbnail. She approached Setanta with a graceful gait and held up her hand before his face.

"So be it, Setanta. Kiss the royal ring and swear that you shall fight as my loyal ally, and in return I shall support your campaign to be king of southern Spira, so long as you recognize that the north belongs to me… what say you to that?" She proffered her agreement with an intensely enticing flair in her voice and beaming confidence from her green eyes. Setanta nodded then, and kissed her ring.

"To that, I swear my solemn pact that you shall rule the north, and I shall rule the south, in faithful allegiance to each other." Setanta said. The whole room breathed a sigh of relief and eagerness then, as if they felt that his words were destined to be fulfilled. Raven smiled and spoke to her Queen with amusement.

"He's a daring one, isn't he, my Queen?" She remarked. The Dark Queen smiled and nodded in agreement, as she slapped her hand upon Setanta's muscular arm.

"Indeed, I admire these Red Blade men. We could use more of them, and we could use more men like this brave Setanta… so why don't you take my priestesses with you, Raven, and guide these good men to my inner sanctum, in the Cloister of Mysteries." The Queen instructed her. Raven smiled widely and nodded, and she took hold of Setanta's arm, while all of the priestesses rushed forth to grasp the hands of the rest of his men, and they led them behind the Queen as she turned and proceeded down another set of steps on the side of the stage, and into another corridor which led deeper into the caverns beneath the mountain.

The group of priestesses and warriors followed their Queen through tunnels that winded like a serpent, taking several turns as if they were navigating a maze. Sacred symbols and intricately knotted patterns were engraved into the stone walls, perhaps as a guide that only the initiated could read. Lanterns and clusters of thick, weeping wax candles lit the way for them, until they at last reached a large chamber at the end of one of the corridors, and in this chamber there were oil lamps and candles glowing dimly, revealing a floor of exquisitely colored tiles and a dozen marble pillars assembled in a circle, reaching from the floor to the ceiling of the room and decorated with hanging tapestries and golden lamps. Around the outside of the tiled floor, upon the stone sides of the chamber rested a great hoard of treasure, and also weapons and the skeletal remains of heroes and oracles of the tribe. When they reached the floor in the middle of the white pillars, they found luxurious pillows and couches awaiting them, and a counter made of rich mahogany that shelved sumptuous spirits and other delights.

As soon as the Dark Queen stepped into the central tile on the floor, which was made of richly embossed gold, she turned on her heels and faced back to Setanta, with a burning sultry gaze. Raven pulled the young warlord close to the Queen, as she raised her hand up and slid her fingernails across the side of his face.

"It's time for you to seal our pact, and breed me some fresh warriors…" She said in a low and sensuous voice. Setanta dropped his jaw and gazed wide-eyed upon her, and immediately the Queen swept her black hair away from her white breasts and slipped her skirt down to her feet. Simultaneously, Raven had shed her skirt, and the two of them together pulled Setanta to the nearest couch and overwhelmed him in a fiery embrace. All of the priestesses followed suit and beset his men with their love arts, and soon the sanctum became a breeding den.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18 : The Black Lion of Gagazet

The Fahrenheit zoomed across northern Spira and over the Calm Lands, just as morning began to dawn with reddish gold light. The dew glistened upon the open fields, and Cid ordered his son to bring the ship into position over Gagazet while he went to wake Yuna.

The airship hovered over the Ronso settlement on the mountainside, and the manlift was lowered with Yuna and Cid inside, along with a team of four Al-Bhed commandos. They touched down on the rocky path and opened the doors to find the cold, snowy reaches of Gagazet greeting them, as they stepped out between the rows of stone pillars on either side of the trail. They closed the manlift doors and sent it back up, then Cid took the lead of the party on the way up to search for the Ronso people. Some Ronso braves encountered them and volunteered to escort them, for their own safety.

"Safety from what?" Cid asked indignantly.

"Many Ronso warriors gather high up on Sacred Mount Gagazet, now they make ready for war. They not like strangers scouting around." The Ronso said in a gruff voice.

"War?! War with who?" Yuna asked in shock and dismay.

"You will speak to Kelk Ronso, he will decide what you may know." The Ronso answered bluntly, and he waved with his big furry arm for them to follow him up the trail. When they reached the gate of the mountain they found more Ronso waiting there, and Kelk Ronso himself appeared to speak with them. The old Ronso and ex-maester of Yevon was bent with age, but he was still strong and glowed proudly as he observed his unexpected guests. When they drew close, he spoke with his deep, wizened voice.

"Lady Yuna, seeing you again pleases me, yet at once I feel ashamed when I remember what was perpetrated upon you and your guardians by the corruption of Yevon and its degenerated maesters. I must give you my formal apology… and I am afraid that I must turn you back whence you came. You may not enter the mountain passes now. It would not be safe for outsiders such as you. I am sorry." He said to her.

"Please, Maester Kelk, I have questions that I need answered." She implored him. The old Ronso shook his head sternly.

"I am no maester any longer. I am the Elder of the Ronso…those who will still listen to reason. But very well, ask your questions, and I will answer if I may." He relinquished.

"Thank you, Elder. I want to know why the Ronso people are divided now, and what is happening further up the mountain." She asked. The old Ronso made a sad and weary sigh.

"I will tell you, because I feel that I owe you. But I ask that you do not spread rumors about our troubles here." He asked. Yuna nodded in acceptance.

"Very well, I will keep it to myself." Yuna agreed. The Ronso chieftain continued.

"Many of our bravest warriors are angered by what happened in Bevelle at the hands of the Guado. They are also upset by the changes coming fast into our world. Now there will be no more pilgrimages, and our role as guardians of the mountain has been diminished. We have become a people without a purpose and without a mission. Recently our greatest warrior, a young brave called Garik, has taken his comrades high into the mountain and occupied the caves and climbs of Gagazet. He is gathering young Ronso from across Spira and training them for an army. They have rejected my authority and cast off our tribal laws. They have made a new rule of their own; they call it 'Might is Right'. They believe that spoils belong to the victors of battle, and they go about Spira on raiding parties to take what they desire, whether it is wealth and weapons, food and spirits, or women and slaves. This is why it is not safe for you on Gagazet, and this the Ronsos' shame, the shame of my people." Kelk admitted with smoldering anguish. Yuna was taken aback and shocked into silence. Cid tilted his head and shrugged his muscular shoulders.

"Hmph. Well it sounds like yer boys finally caught on to the hard facts of life. Can't say I disagree with their logic, but I can see where you're coming from. It's no good to have young men bucking tradition and running wild. Something ought to be done about it, before they get too far out of control and do some real damage. It seems like you're in need of some professional gentlemen to restore the peace and common decency." Cid said, as if to offer his services. The Ronso Elder shook his frizzled white head firmly.

"No! Ronso will deal with this problem. Outsiders should not be involved." Kelk said.

"But if they're raiding the lands of Spira, then we're already involved." Yuna protested.

"Look, you said he's your best warrior; well I brought some of mine. Sounds like you need help." Cid offered once more. This time a booming voice from behind the crowd spoke up, as two giant, muscular Ronso warriors parted the ranks and stepped forward. They towered over their human guests.

"Garik only thinks he is best warrior. I crush him, like I crush puny human bandits, for fun." Biran said in a boisterous and surly voice.

"So what are ya waiting for then, big guy?" Cid said mockingly. At this challenge, Yenke stepped up right in front of Cid and glowered down upon him with his massive fist raised.

"We wait for full moon, when bloodshed of kin can be absolved, then we go into mountain and smash Garik's bones into dust, like the sand of your home country, Al-Bhed trader! Now be gone, or I make human skulls into a tea set!" He warned them in a huffing, fuming tirade. Cid stepped back and pulled Yuna away from the two Ronso braves, and prepared to leave.

"Wait! Elder Kelk! I have to know about Kimahri! What happened to him!" She begged as she was pulled down the trail. Biran answered, speaking over the old Ronso.

"Kimahri was weak! So he died!" The giant warrior said with a burst of cruel laughter. Yenke chuckled beside him.

"His ghost hides in the Scar of Calm Lands' ancient battles. He wails in shame, at each full moon. No use to Ronso or human summoner!" Yenke boasted. Yuna cried out in anguish, as Cid lifted her in his arms and carried her down the mountainside with his men.

Cid carried his niece down the path as she wept in his arms, until finally she asked to be put down, and walked beside him and his men. Tears streamed down her face, and it was red with misery and anger. Cid stopped walking then as he wrapped one arm around her, and pulled her close. He held her face to his chest as she wept and clung to him.

"I know, darling. I'm not sure who to root for either. If those Ronso bastards could just kill each other off, that might be the best thing for us. But nevermind them. Let's keep moving, and figure out what to do next." He said gingerly. Yuna spoke between sobs.

"I have to find... Kimahri… I have to find him… I have to send him." She said insistently.

"Alright Sugar, we'll do that." Cid agreed.

They walked down the path and came to the bridge in the canyon. As they approached it, suddenly the Al-Bhed commandos were on the alert, and they rushed forward with their weapons raised to clear the area and inspect it.

"What's wrong?" Yuna asked. She and Cid both looked at the bridge, and saw bodies strewn across it, and on the stone plateau midway through the canyon.

"Wait here… looks like some serious exchange took place here. I'll be right back, don't move!" Cid told her, and he rushed down to join his men on the bridge. They searched around, and Yuna inched a little bit closer, watching them and scanning the bodies around the area. There was a whole platoon of dead Yevon soldiers. Finally Cid motioned for her to come down and join them.

"It must have been an ambush. There's almost fifty troops here, all of 'em Yevon commandos. I guess this would be the work of those rogue Ronso. No one else could have pulled it off." Cid surmised grimly. Just then one of the Al-Bhed commandos spoke up.

"Negative on that, Sir! A lot of them have bullet holes in them. Ronso don't use machina weapons, so far as I know of. Certainly not assault rifles and pistols. This must've been done by humans… maybe some kind of tribal raiders." The commando said.

"Really? What kind of tribals could have done this?" Cid asked incredulously.

"No idea, Sir, but that's what it looks like." He replied. Cid shook his head and then stepped to take hold of Yuna's arm and he led her across the bridge.

"Let's keep moving boys, and get out of here. I don't want to meet whoever did this. I'll call the airship and have them sit down in the Calm Lands. Then we'll investigate the Scar." Cid ordered, and they all moved out as quickly as they could. When they reached the steppes of the Calm Lands, they could see the airship sitting in the distance, near the trading post. Before they went to it, first Yuna took a turn and looked around. This was the first time she had ever seen the calm lands; her captivity at Bevelle had cut her pilgrimage short.

"Sin's Scar is to the right of us, northward. It starts close to the canyon and runs all the way to the cliffs. We'll need some kind of climbing gear to explore it. We better go back to the airship first." Cid told her. Yuna nodded silently in agreement, and they all walked across the grassy plains of the Calm Lands, until they reached their ship and trading post. As they drew near it, some young men watched them, and two of them came striding forth to intercept them. Cid's men were on their guard, but the two strangers waved to them with friendly gestures, and one of them called out to Yuna.

"Lady Yuna! Is that you?" He asked. It was Clasko, the young Crusader, clad in steel armor and a green tunic. His youthful face and brown hair and eyes seemed so full of life, and his face expressed the joy of recognition. His counterpart was a dark young man in tan Crusader armor, with a dark blue tunic and a hood upon his head, just above his eyes. They both offered a salute and came trudging swiftly to speak with Yuna. Cid and his men allowed them to pass, but kept an eye on them.

"Lady Yuna, this is Yaibal, a lieutenant in the Youth League. I'm part of his team. We've been traveling Spira to look for recruits… say, you wouldn't be interested in joining, would you?" He asked, a bit sheepishly. Yuna shook her head.

"No, I'm sorry but I simply can't." Yuna said, a bit taken aback by the sudden offer. Yaibal spoke to her next, with unbridled enthusiasm and youthful energy.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Yuna! As Clasko said, I'm Yaibal. It's too bad that you can't join us; having the daughter of Braska and a former summoner in our ranks would greatly improve our reputation and morale. Please tell me… you wouldn't happen to be part of New Yevon, would you?" He asked. Again Yuna shook her head.

"I'm really just trying to help out the common people, without taking any sides." Yuna explained as gently as she could. Both of them nodded in acceptance, albeit with apparent disappointment on their faces.

"It's a shame, but I understand. If you change your mind, then come to visit our stronghold in Djose. You could do a lot of good for Spira and the common people, if you joined our cause. But for now, feel free to think it over. I'm afraid that I must gather up the new recruits and prepare to march. Don't be long, Clasko!" Yaibal said hastily, and he strode away back to the front of the trade post. When he stood in the sands around the merchant's tents and pavilions, a group of young teenagers and two Ronso children assembled before him.

"Are those the recruits he's talking about? They look so young!" Yuna said, unable to contain her dismay. Clasko lowered his eyes in shame.

"Oh… those Ronso are called Lian and Ayde… they said they're both thirteen; that's when a Ronso boy is considered a man, right? The rest are all teenagers, some of them orphans, so we let them come along." Clasko tried to explain, stuttering as he spoke.

"You can't be serious!" Yuna exclaimed.

"Well, you see, it is the Youth League, after all… we need to teach these kids to stand up for their future and their interests…" He said in a quiet tone.

"Clasko, why would you take part in something like this? You don't have to take orders all your life!" Yuna said to him in shock. His eyes dampened then.

"I know, Lady Yuna! Please forgive me! I know that this isn't right for me, but I can't figure out where I really belong! After the Crusaders disbanded and Yevon fell apart, there was nowhere else for me to go…" He said woefully. Just then, Yaibal called out to him.

"Clasko! We're on the move! Hurry up!" He shouted. Clasko straightened up then, and turned on a dime to go marching hastily after his lieutenant. The squad of teenagers and children went southward across the plains, and didn't look back. Cid walked back to Yuna then.

"What did those two goons want?" he asked her. Yuna shook her head.

"They asked if I would join the Youth League. I said 'no' of course. Nevermind them. Let's go to the Scar and search for Kimahri." Yuna insisted. Cid beckoned for her to follow him, and they went up the ramp of the Fahrenheit and into the loading bay, where his men secured cables, grappling hooks and harnesses for them all. Thus equipped and with another four-man team to watch their point of entry and keep eyes on them, they then made their way over to the most shallow point of the Scar, which was the southernmost end near the canyon entrance beneath Mount Gagazet. Yuna left her assault rifle in the cargo bay, but she brought the red-dragon wand with her, to use it for sending.

The first Al-Bhed team fastened on their harnesses as they stood near the edge of the ravine, and they hammered anchoring spikes into the ground, to which they secured their cables. Two extra spikes were set for Yuna and Cid, who took up the extra harnesses and prepared themselves for the descent. The first Al-Bhed team had some lanterns with them, as well as flares. The second team had a flare gun, which they used to shoot lights down into the ravine at roughly fifty-foot intervals. The Al-Bhed team began their descent, to the floor about five stories down, and then Yuna and Cid began climbing down together.

It was still only midday on the world above, but in the narrow crevice of Sin's Scar, it seemed dark and foreboding. This was a cool, damp realm of wet sand, jagged rocks, and darkness. Some small streams of water ran down from the eastern rock face of the Scar, fed by runoff from the mountainside. In some places along the ravine floor, this water gathered into deep, dark pools. Yuna was trembling slightly as she reached the floor and beheld this place, spiking out around her. She stilled her heart, and slowly prepared herself as Cid released the cable from her harness, and then she did the same for him.

The Al-Bhed team took off their cables and then proceeded to lead the way by lantern light, and with their assault carbines held up at the ready and pointed down the length of the dark ravine. They came to the first flare dropped by their comrades above, and it flooded the rocks and pools nearby with green light. They walked past it but soon came to another steep drop in the ravine, to a lower level two dozen feet below. The team drove another spike into the floor and secured it with rocks, then they attached another cable to it and began descending one-by-one to the next level. Once they had all touched down, they proceeded to the next two flares, one of them green and the other red. They came to another descent, but this time it was more gradual and could be climbed by hand.

The next flare they reached was green, and it's light glinted upon a nearby pool and reflected from its surface onto the walls of the ravine, painting them with eerie bands of light, almost like an aurora. The team moved on cautiously, and soon they could see the end of the crevice, where it exited to the rock face north of the Calm Lands, dropping into the ocean below. It was still half a mile away from them, but they trudged on to the next flare before they stopped to stand in a circle and talk, gazing across each other in the glow of red light.

"How much further should we go?" One of the big, burly commandos asked.

"Should we start calling out for him? How will we find him?" Another, more lanky Al-Bhed asked.

"You're asking the wrong person." Cid retorted. They all looked to Yuna then, and her pale face was quivering in the crimson glow.

"He's a ghost, and this is his haunt. He should already know that we're here." Yuna answered.

"So do we even want to do this? Sir, why don't we turn back…" One of the commandos suggested to Cid.

"Look, he's an old friend of Yuna's, and this is a sending. We'll be fine, just don't get nervous. Fiends are attracted to the smell of fear." Cid told them, and then he pointed down the raving in a gesture for them to continue. They walked down the rest of the Scar, and it gradually declined further down, sometimes dropping a few feet, but they continued until they were very near the end and came upon a stream that ran alongside a wide sandbank, fed loudly by several small waterfalls that splashed into its clear water. In the middle of the sandbank, not far from the edge of the ravine, there stood a tall spear with its shaft embedded into the sand. Yuna recognized it and hurriedly stepped toward it. It was a Titan Lance, the one used by Kimahri during the pilgrimage. She approached it and saw a tassel of white and blue threads hanging from the metal ring at the top of the shaft, and spots of rust were beginning to grow upon the spearhead and the two crescent-moon shaped blades to either side of it.

Upon seeing this old weapon of Kimahri, now in a state of disuse and abandon, Yuna could not keep herself from breaking down in tears, and she fell to her knees in the sand by the weapon, weeping and calling out for Kimahri.

Meanwhile at the top of the ravine on the Calm Lands, the second Al-Bhed team was watching and waiting for their comrades below. Suddenly one of them saw an old man approaching them. This old man was a local peasant farmer, dressed in tattered smock, and he came jogging toward them. When he came within a few paces the soldiers stopped him and asked him his business.

"What are you doing here, old man?" One of the Al-Bhed asked.

"I came to ask you the same thing." He replied.

"We're exploring the ravine. Why?" The Al-Bhed answered in bewilderment. Instantly the old man's face become the expression of grave and utter terror.

"It's not safe! That ravine is haunted by a dark and powerful fiend! They call it the Black Lion of Gagazet, and it comes out by night to hunt these lands. It kills chocobos, eats aurochs, even steals children! You must get your friends out immediately!" The old man yelled at them. They gazed dumbfounded upon him for a brief moment, and then quickly began shouting to their friends in the ravine.

Where they now stood in the furthest depths of the crevice, the Al-Bhed, Cid and Yuna could hear nothing from above. Everything but their own voices was drown out by the pouring streams of runoff and the waterfall spraying out from the rock face to the ocean thousands of feet below. While Yuna knelt before the Titan Lance on the sandbar, the Al-Bhed commandos still strode back and forth and peered around the rocky ravine floor. One of them stepped close to the edge, and watched the water flowing out and falling into the ocean. He looked down upon the wide blue waves and the distant storm clouds to the north. Yuna looked up then, peering through teary eyes at the silhouette of the Al-Bhed man standing by the end of the ravine. When he turned back to face her, suddenly she saw a long, black arm reach out of the rocks beside the eastern wall, and with a huge, clawed black hand it grasped the man's throat and then hurled him out of the end of the ravine. The Al-Bhed man screamed as he was thrown to his death, and then the arm pulled back behind the rocks.

Immediately the other commandos shouted and raised their weapons, and they tossed several read flares in front of them and behind them. They called to each other in nervous yells, and they scanned the area for any sign of trouble. They found nothing. Cid was barking orders at them.

"Stay sharp boys! Find our comrade! Where did he go?" Cid demanded.

"I saw him! He fell over the edge!" One of them answered.

"No! He was thrown out!" Yuna said as she frightfully peered around the ravine.

"What? Did you see what happened? What got him?" Cid asked her.

"It must have been a fiend!" Yuna answered as she wept.

"Alright, let's retreat. Keep your guard up, boys!" Cid ordered. As he spoke, Yuna gazed down into the clear water of the stream, just beside the sandbar. She saw a metal helmet at the bottom of the water, one that belonged to a Yevon soldier. As she gazed in fear upon it, suddenly she saw eyes starting back at her from within the water. Yuna shrieked and crawled away, and immediately a group of three Sahagin fiends came bursting up out of the water. The yellow-scaled aquatic fiends let loose a sharp screech, and immediately the ravine was filled with muzzle-flashes and sounds of gunfire as the Al-Bhed team fought off the fiends.

Cid grabbed Yuna with his strong, leathery hands and pulled her up, then he tugged back up the ravine toward the entrance. His men fought and killed the fiends, and then ran to catch up with him. When they reached one of the green flares in the middle of the ravine, they stopped to catch their breath and regroup. They were all sweating and panting, and frantically talking.

"We're all still here, except Zeke… it must have been those Sahagins that pushed him out of the ravine." The commando nearest Cid surmised. Yuna shook her head, and they all stared at her pale, timid face in the green glow.

"Yuna, you saw what happened. What was it?" Cid asked her.

"It wasn't a Sahagin… it was a big, black fiend." Yuna replied. As she spoke those words, suddenly they heard a loud, roaring voice echo through the rocky walls. It sounded like a lion. They all froze in place, hoping to deny the evidence their ears brought them, as if for an instant it might be a nightmare from which they could wake. Then the sound came yet again, louder this time. They all turned and gazed down the length of the ravine, and faintly beheld a large, dark shadow moving in the distance, looming ever closer. Immediately Cid shouted his orders.

"Cover the retreat! Let's get the hell out of here!" He yelled, and then he grabbed Yuna up in his arms and ran across the sandy floor with his men trailing behind him and trying to keep their carbines pointed back toward danger. When they reached the first climb to a higher level, Cid immediately clipped the cable to Yuna's harness and started tugging the other end to raise her up. Yuna climbed hurriedly and finally made her way to the top. As she unclipped the cable and sent it back down, she saw flashes in the dark and heard gunfire yet again. The gun was abruptly silenced, and followed by horrific screams of torment. Cid and one of his men managed to get to the next level, and they tossed the cable down to their last man. As he clipped it to his harness, suddenly they all heard a low, rumbling growl. As he froze helplessly below them, the young Al-Bhed soldier was suddenly ripped back into the shadows, screaming as he was dragged and mutilated. The cable was pulled with him and soon pulled the climbing spike along with it. Cid and the last remaining commando both turned and pulled Yuna with them as they desperately tried to reach the end of the ravine.

They were drawing close to the end; close enough to hear their friends calling from above, and the sunlight shining on the floor by their cables. Just then they heard claws scratching on the rocks behind them, drawing close and fast. The commando turned back and fired with his rifle, and Cid reached to his comrade's belt for his pistol. Together they kept firing, as Cid knelt low with the pistol and the commando stood firing his carbine. A sweeping shadow flew over them, and Cid fell backward with a cry of dismay. An instant later the commando's body fell beside Cid, but it had no head.

Yuna was kneeling in the sand a dozen feet away from her uncle, clutching her wand in both hands close to her chest. She peered up, trying to find where the wicked beast had gone, but suddenly she heard a low growl rumbling from just behind her. Yuna slowly turned around until she was facing a giant black lion, with a scraggly, thick mane and some faint white stripes along its arms and back. The lion's face and maw were huge; big enough to snap a human in half. Its fangs were so long that they protruded from its mouth like tusks. The eyes of the fiend were bright, golden yellow. In fact they were familiar to Yuna in some strange way. In a timid whisper she spoke.

"Kimahri? Is that you?" She asked in disbelief. The beast tilted its head then, as if in recognition. It stood where it was, not advancing, and so Yuna raised up her wand in front of her, and began whirling it to initiate the sending. Suddenly the black lion swung its massive head forward and snapped the shaft of Yuna's want with its teeth. Yuna gaped in helpless silence and tilted back, falling onto the sandy floor. She saw the head of her wand laying on a stone beside her, and then with one swift swipe the lion brought its great paw and black claws down thunderously upon the stone, shattering the red-dragon wand to pieces. The wind whipped over Yuna as the black lion leapt over her and tore down the length of the ravine, retreating to its lair.

Yuna was unable to move. Her head rested in the wet sand and her differently-colored eyes gazed skyward to the white clouds and blue expanse above. She heard a soft trickle of water and felt the stream beside her, and she turned her head to one side so that her face bathed partly in the cold water. She let out a long breath, but still could not move at all. Finally she felt Cid's rough hands grab her, and he lifted her over one shoulder to take her to the cables. Once secured, she was raised up and pulled out of the ravine, and Cid was brought up immediately after her. The Al-Bhed team carried her back to the airship, and Cid hobbled along behind them, but no more was said that day, and Yuna was put to sleep in her chambers.

In the red city of Bevelle, holy business was conducted in the evening as temple bells tolled and the priests turned out to chant and sing the Hymn of the Fayth. After all the priests left the Yevon Headquarters for evening prayer, one lone figure in green, white and black robes went striding through the entrance to the headquarters building, and through the dark misty corridors to find the offices of the ministers. He strode confidently into one of these chambers, and within it he found an old wooden chair, cushioned and with a tall back that face toward him. The room was dimly lit by candlelight, but he could see the arms of the man seated in the chair, covered though they were by the long sleeves of a dark blue cloak.

The young man was dark skinned and white-haired, tall and lanky. His facial features were delicate and boyish. He seemed astute and serious for one so young. He waited a moment, and then he spoke up with a soft, light voice.

"Maester, have you called for me?" He asked cautiously. A high yet masculine voice answered then, in a tranquil and unthreatening tone.

"Oh yes, Baralai, I wish to speak with you. Surely you have something to report, do you not?" The cloaked man said. Baralai stepped slowly and anxiously over to the smaller chair which sat across from the seat of his maester, and he let himself down onto it as quietly as he could. He gazed carefully and expressionlessly upon the dark cowl that covered his master's face down to his thin, austere lips and pale, bare chin. There was a quiet moment then, but the master prompted him to speak by raising an open hand, pale and with long fingers and sharp nails.

"Maester Shiro, I discovered the source of the interference in our communications system. It was an jamming device, planted aboard one of the ships in our fleet. Another one was found at the station nearby the construction site of Yevon Tower in Kilika. The design of the technology appears to be Al-Bhed in origin." Baralai reported. The thin lips under the veil curved downward in a scowl.

"Is that so? Well I wonder who would be so daring and also harbor the motivation for such sabotage. Is Yevon once again chafing from your fellow dropouts of the Crimson Squad?" Shiroh asked with an irritated voice.

"I have to admit, it looks that way." Baralai relinquished softly.

"It can only be your old accomplice, then… the Al-Bhed rogue. Press upon him with your mutual friendship and convince him to stop this interloping, or else I shall have him disposed of entirely. Is that understood, Baralai?" Shiro asked with a fuming voice.

"Yes, Maester. I will make sure he does." Baralai swore solemnly.

"I hope you are successful, Baralai, or it may reflect badly upon you in the eyes of Yevon." Shiro presented a thinly veiled threat. Baralai swallowed nervously and nodded.

"I understand, Maester. It will be done." He assured his Maester. Shiro changed the subject then.

"And what of the Youth League? Have your spies returned from Djose yet?" He asked.

"They have, Maester. They spoke of thousands of new recruits, at least five thousand encamped at Djose. There are other camps assembling in the Moonflow region, and the plains north of Luca, off the beaten path from the Mi'ihen Highroad. The city of Luca is littered weekly with their propaganda." Baralai informed him. The scowl deepened upon the Maester's face.

"They spread like locusts… or plague. They must be stopped. Send out orders to all Yevon troops and city guardsmen in Luca. Anyone found with Youth League propaganda, or associating with the Youth League, is to be arrested and jailed indefinitely. If they cannot be held in Luca, then they will be sent to the Umnak Peninsula north of Macalania, where they will be put to work in the mines. You will speak with the naval admirals and arrange ships for transport when it becomes necessary… and I fear it will soon." Shiro ordered. Baralai nodded in acquiescence.

"It will be done, Maester." Baralai said. Shiro tapped his long, sharp fingernails on the wooden arm of his chair. Then he spoke again.

"Report to me on the situation in the north… what happened to your last patrol there?" Shiro asked expectantly. Baralai hesitated, but then reluctantly answered.

"They were wiped out. None survived." He said. The Maester's sharp nails scraped across his armrest, and Baralai winced instinctively.

"A whole platoon gone… has the entire world turned on us at once? We're about to lose control here, young Baralai. If a few ragtag bands of raiders can cause us so much grief, then we really do need to crack down, hard and fast." Shiro said venomously.

"There are a lot of problems in the north that aren't easily dealt with, my Maester… the raiders are only one aspect of it. Rumors of powerful fiends are spreading like wildfire, the terrain is harsh and impossible in some places for any organized force to cross, yet somehow the barbarians surmount these obstacles easily. They outmaneuver and outfight us, even when they don't outnumber us, which may not be the case for much longer. By scouts' reports, there may be more of these tribal raiders than we ever imagined. I hesitate to suggest this, for fear of offending you, Maester… but perhaps we should consider cordoning off the north and focusing our efforts on the southern lands for now." Baralai said passively. There was a deep sigh released from under the cowl, and then suddenly the Maester grinned.

"Very well, Baralai… you are my trusted liaison, after all. I made you Praetor of New Yevon for a reason. I expect results, and you deliver… usually. We shall build barricades across the isthmus between the northern and southern continents, and station an army there. However, we must continue to patrol and police the Calm Lands while we still can. In the meantime, you will assemble a force to halt the expansion of the Youth League and capture their camps outside of Djose. You will corner them, but do not enter Djose until you have my orders to do so. Place one army on the northern shore of the Moonflow, and another in the Macalania Woods near the edge of the Thunderplains. Send orders to Luca to be prepared to send a large force on the Mi'ihen Highroad to Djose, when they are called for. Do this, and await my dispatches. Once the board is set, then we shall see where the chips fall." Shiro said as he took a deep breath and smiled, as though invigorated by the prospects of what might come.

"You mean to surround the Guado and the Youth League both? Is that the plan, Maester?" Baralai asked.

"Do not read my intentions, Baralai. Simply do as you're told. How soon can you assemble a campaigning force?" Shiro asked him pointedly.

"I have one ready now; two-thousand fighting men are waiting to mobilize from the Bevelle garrison." Baralai answered.

"That is good, Baralai, but not enough. Send them to the Moonflow, but immediately begin assembling another army, and station as many men as you can spare on the road between Macalania and the Calm Lands. If some surprise comes at us from the north, we must not let it catch us off guard. Now go to it, Baralai, and do not return until you have done all that I have ordered." Shiro said firmly, and he waved his long fingers in a gesture of dismissal. Baralai quickly stood up and marched out of the chamber, and he went to do his lord's bidding.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19 : The Challenge at Gagazet

As Yuna laid in bed in her chambers aboard the Fahrenheit, she stared listlessly at the ceiling with dampened eyes. She had been asleep since she was taken there the previous afternoon. She had no idea what time it was, but after several hours of lying awake and motionless in her bed, she heard the door to her chambers slide open, and her uncle came striding in. He spoke softly, in a gentle tone.

"Yuna… are you alright?" He asked. She gazed up at him, and sighed deeply before she spoke.

"Yes… I'm okay." She said. Cid shifted uneasily.

"You don't have to do anything right now, but I just thought I should ask if you need anything, and where you want us to go next." He inquired.

"I'm not sure." She said somberly.

"Should I take you home to Besaid?" Cid asked.

"No. I can't go home yet. But I don't have what I need to finish this. Take me to Djose Temple. I need time for prayer, and for thinking." She determined finally. Cid nodded, and he left the room to fulfill her request. Hours later, they arrived in the sandy, red-rocked region of Djose. The airship landed in an open field near the crossroads between Djose Temple, Mushroom Rock Road and the Moonflow. When the boarding ramp was lowered, Cid and Yuna went down it with a squad of eight Al-Bhed commandos. They marched over the bridges by the shallow inlet of sea water, and they soon came to the sandy bowl in front of the rock spire of Djose Temple. Cid ordered his men to fall back and conceal themselves, so as not to draw attention from anyone in the temple. He and Yuna strode up to it alone, seeking entry, but they found that the boulders forming a solid shell around the tower were stuck in place, and would not open for them. They were fused together and the doorway was sealed.

While they stood in perplexed disappointment, suddenly they heard a woman's voice call from behind them. They both turned back to face the abandoned traveler's house beside the path to the temple, and they saw a tall, redheaded woman striding confidently toward them. She was missing her left hand; in its place was a spiked mace-head fastened to a steel gauntlet upon her forearm, and linked to a sleeve of chainmail attached to a leather pauldron strapped on her shoulder. She wore dark purple armor, a yellow and green tunic and a violet bandana around her forehead. This woman was Lucille. As she approached, Yuna remembered the day that Paine had cut off her hand while fighting across the plaza in Bevelle on a mission to rescue Yuna.

"You're too late to do anything in the temple. After the Fayth faded, the magic of the tower stopped working. It's been sealed shut ever since the death of Sin. Now it's just another lost temple, a monument to a bygone era. Just like you, Summoner Yuna. Isn't that right?" She said with a faint grin on her face.

"Why are you here, Lucille?" Yuna asked.

"I would ask you the same question, ex-summoner. Are you on another pilgrimage? Since you didn't finish the last one, I suppose you feel cheated." Lucille remarked bitterly.

"You could say that… but actually I'm just looking for a place to pray." Yuna said plainly. Lucille chuckled briefly and her face maintained a corrosive smirk.

"Sounds like a waste of time. Sin is dead, the Fayth are gone. What use is prayer? Or do you have a guilty conscience?" Lucille questioned her with an air of hostility.

"You got a problem, lady?" Cid demanded as he put his hand onto the pommel of a dagger on his belt. Lucille smiled wickedly at him and raised up her left arm with the steel ball where her hand once was.

"You tell me. What does it look like?" She retorted fiercely.

"I have men waiting on the bridge for us. You might wanna just walk off, lady." Cid advised her.

"And I have men waiting inside the travel agency, so maybe you should walk off, old man." She replied. Yuna spoke up impatiently then.

"This is pointless. We have no reason to fight now. What happened to you was your own fault; you sided with evil men. You're alive and you should be happy with that. If you have nothing useful to say, then we're leaving." Yuna said. Lucille gazed upon her in surprise and delight.

"I see you're not the polite, pious little girl you were last time we met here. Well now, that's something I can appreciate these days. So what do you want, Yuna? Why are you back in Spira?" Lucille asked her curiously. Yuna gave out a deep sigh.

"I came back to find old friends and help the people, if I can. I came back because I need to put an old friend to rest. I tried to perform a sending, but my powers are gone now. I have to find some way to regain them." Yuna revealed, with a glimmer of despair in her blue-and-green eyes. Lucille shifted slightly and nodded in understanding.

"Well, if you're looking for a temple that's still open, you won't find one on mainland Spira, apart from Bevelle. Are you… on good terms with Yevon now?" Lucille inquired.

"I don't know… but I don't want to go to Bevelle. What happened to the other temples?" Yuna asked in bewilderment.

"They're gone. The ice melted on Macalania Lake, and so the temple collapsed into it. Remiem Temple fell into the canyon it was suspended over. Baaj Temple sank into the ocean. As you can see, Djose Temple is sealed shut, and the entrance to the Coliseum at Zanarkand has been blocked. It would seem that the old Yevon has shut its doors for good; now the New Yevon has a clean slate, and total control. You might try Kilika Temple, but I hear that many soldiers and priests are garrisoned there and they've made it into a closed compound. So I guess that leaves you with one option… the one you won't take. So then, you must not be on very good terms with New Yevon, as I thought." Lucille surmised with a dark grin.

"What's it matter to you?" Yuna asked indifferently.

"Well, I'm part of a special task force that serves Yevon Headquarters in Bevelle. I keep an eye on the roads through Djose, and watch the Youth League recruits pour in. I wonder if it's too late yet for me to join them… they seem to be swiftly gaining numerical superiority. Oh well; that's another matter. Wouldn't everyone in Bevelle be so surprised to hear that sweet Lady Yuna has returned to Spira on another do-gooder pilgrimage!" Lucille said caustically.

"So you're going to betray me again, even though I'm no threat to you or Bevelle?" Yuna said in disdain. Lucille shook her head.

"Oh no, I won't tell anyone about you, but I will tell you something…" Lucille said as she stepped close to Yuna and leaned over to whisper in her ear, " _because you are a threat to Bevelle and to Yevon, and they are still keeping secrets; this time it's worse than before. So go on your merry way, little Yuna_ …"

With that, Lucille stood upright again and turned on her heels, marching back toward the travel agency. She halted briefly and glanced over her shoulder, speaking once more to Yuna.

"Oh Yuna, if you happen to see Paine out there somewhere, tell her I'll be ready for a rematch, any time, any place." Lucille said with feigned pleasantness, and then she continued on her way back into the agency. Cid took hold of Yuna's arm and walked with her on the path back across the bridges to the field where his airship was sitting.

"I don't know what to do now. If all the temples are gone, I have no one to turn to for guidance. We can't go to Bevelle… I don't want to go there." She said miserably.

"There was one temple she didn't mention; it's in the desert on Bikanel Island. It's called Sanubia Temple." Cid told her. Yuna brightened up then.

"Oh wait! Didn't you take Lulu there with Auron and Isaaru?" Yuna asked, as if she'd remembered something very important.

"Sure did. We stayed there for a week, while Auron studied with the sages and did some kind of ritual to gain his strength back, and more. Those old codgers there seemed to know what they were up to. We should try going there next." Cid suggested.

"Yes… we should go there. But there are two things we need to do first." Yuna said.

"Really? What are you talking about?" Cid asked in puzzlement.

"I need to find Paine. There's got to be someone who knows how to find her. Before we go looking, I need you to take me somewhere first." Yuna said.

"Take you where?" Cid asked.

"Take me to the eastern archipelago, to the Omega Ruins." Yuna answered. Immediately Cid burst with dismay.

"What? Why would you want to go there? It's too dangerous!" He blurted.

"I have to check something." Yuna said.

"What? You don't just go to the eastern archipelago to 'check on something'! The whole region is surrounded by pirates and smugglers' dens, but the one place they avoid is the Omega Ruins because almost no one comes back from there alive!" Cid argued.

"You have a whole ship full of warriors, Uncle Cid. We're in better shape to go than we were a year ago. I should have gone then, but I didn't. Now I have a feeling that we'll come to grief because of it, and I need to know for sure. Take me there, Uncle, please!" Yuna urged him. Cid stopped and gazed into her vivid eyes. He hesitated, but finally relinquished.

"Alright. We'll go to take a look, but we're not messing around." He said. Yuna patted him on the shoulder in gratitude and released a short sigh. They boarded the airship along with their squad of reinforcements, and in moments the ship lifted off on the way to the eastern archipelago. When they arrived it was already late in the afternoon, and the airship had no way to land on the island. In the loading bay Cid and Yuna stood with a squad of commandos, preparing their weapons. Yuna took up her assault rifle and fastened her combat belt around her slender waist. Cid gave her a breathing mask with a glass shield over her face, and he helped her fasten its bands around her head. He then put on his own mask, and took up a grenade gun from the weapons rack nearby, along with a bandoleer of grenade rounds that he slung over his shoulder. His first team of commandos was clad in suits of machina armor.

"You want some mech-armor, Captain?" One of his men asked him, motioning to a suit that stood in its case on the workbench beside the weapons rack. Cid scoffed and shook his head.

"Mech-armor is for pansies! Let's do this quickly and quietly, gentlemen." He said, and he retrieved a long, thick cigar from a box on the nearby shelf. After lighting his cigar and taking a few huffs, Cid motioned for Yuna and the team to join him. They entered the manlift for a descent to the spiral stone steps leading down Omega's spiral to the catacombs below. As they were lowered into the mouth of the volcanic mountain, they smelled sulfur and ash, and saw a red glow from the magma below them. It was a hot and stifling realm, and crowded with fire fiends.

"Keep the team close, and follow my lead!" Cid ordered, and he chewed his cigar while he strode at a quick pace down the spiral and deeper into the ruins.

As they rushed along a platform beside the spire, suddenly they saw a pack of fire hounds come sprinting up to meet them with ferocious cries and red tongues that spewed flame. Cid raised his grenade gun and pulled the trigger, and a projectile thumped out of the tube of his weapon and sunk into the foremost of the hounds. In an instant it exploded, and all the others along with it, leaving only ashen stains and molten refuse behind. Cid gave a loud whoop and laughed while his men cheered. They surged onward, fighting their way through hounds and fire spirits, and Chimera fiends.

Finally they reached the bottom of the spiraling steps, and came to an old and crumbling stone bridge that took them to the sanctum of Omega. Cid stopped here, and all of his men aimed their weapons at the doorway of the ruins. One door was open, the other hung on one hinge. Cid turned to Yuna then and spoke up.

"The doors have been opened… by something big and angry. I think we better leave." He advised. Without responding, Yuna strode forward into the darkness that gaped at them from under the archway. They entered a dark, cavernous realm. It was cooler than the spiral they took to enter it. Violet crystals lit some of the corners, and ruined pillars lined the walkways. The gray bricks of the stone floor resounded softly under their boots as they went. Cid finally caught up with Yuna and grabbed her shoulder.

"Hey, you know what's supposed to be in here, right?" Cid demanded. Yuna faced him with a quick nod.

"I know the story. He's called Omega. He was once a monk, but he defied the teachings of Yevon and was punished. Now he is a fiend… a great fiend, of immense power. And this is where Seymour fled to almost a year ago. We should have stopped him, because it looks like he unleashed something terrible." Yuna said with an aggravated sigh.

"Well, maybe not… maybe it's still here. In fact, maybe Omega took care of that Guado bastard for us, so we don't have to worry…" Cid supposed. Yuna shook her head.

"There's no way we're that lucky. Come on. We need to make sure." She said, and they marched onward through the rocky and smoky ruins. They walked around in a circle, and finally came to a blue circle in the floor with a red cross upon it and four wooden chests on each leg of it. They walked slowly into the midst of these chests, and Yuna looked down upon them curiously.

"What's going on with these chests?" Cid asked. Yuna merely shrugged, and then reached down to the nearest chest and unlatched it. As she began to lift the lid, suddenly all of the chests vanished instantly. Yuna's shoulder sunk then.

"Well that was kinda pointless." She remarked irritably.

"Alright, to hell with the looting; let's just find out if Omega is here to murder us all or not." Cid said impatiently as he moved on.

They continued, using glyphs on the wall and teleportation squares until they arrived atop a large, flat stone platform suspended in the sky. There were connecting pathways that led down to another big stone arena below. Yuna and Cid led their commandos down the way until they stepped upon the brick floor of the arena. At this lowest platform there was another stone pathway which led upward into a giant rock pillar that ascended in the center of this hollow mountain chamber. There was a hole broken in the pillar by which they could enter it. It was black and seemingly uninhabited. Cid began marching toward the rock pathway, but then suddenly a black fiend appeared from out of the hole and came rushing down to engage them with frightening speed. This fiend was called Varuna.

Cid immediately backpedaled, raising his weapon and shouting for his men to assemble in assault formation. Next out of the dark hole came two Black Elements, and from the platform behind Cid's men there came a dozen Halma fiends with stony, dark shells and glowing red eyes.

"Ambush!" Cid declared with a roaring voice, and the cigar dropped from his mouth as he reached for a long, broad-bladed bayonet on his belt, and snapped it onto the end of his grenade gun. While Cid and his men were plunged into a fierce fight with the dozen Halma's and their oncoming reinforcements, the Varuna and his Black Elements began casting their spells upon the squad. Yuna had no wand, but she knew she needed to act quickly. Her companions needed white magic to aid them through this darkness. Yuna tried desperately to wade through the stress and fear, and call upon her magic. She felt the white light within, but she had no conduit through which to direct it, and so she realized that she would have to pass her magic to her companions by touch.

Yuna stepped gracefully through the fray, healing and shielding her companions by hand. She touched Cid, and immediately he was healed, and an aura of white magic surrounded him, keeping the black magic of his enemies at bay. The Varuna took notice of her valiant efforts, and sought to halt them. The fiend thrust its black wand forth, and from it issued a black cloud which whirled toward Yuna, and struck her with overwhelming force. The blast flung her across the stone platform and rolled her across the brick floor when she landed. Once she came to a stop she was laying helpless in shock and pain. She was in the midst of the Halma fiends, but soon a trio of Al-Bhed commandos rushed in to surround her. Cid was struck with agony and rage, and he turned toward the Varuna with fuming breath and burning eyes. The old Al-Bhed captain dashed forth then and came upon his enemy with a fierce swipe of his bayonet. This attack severed the arm of the Varuna, and its wand fell while it screeched in pain. As the Varuna stumbled backward, the twin Black Elements each released a corona of black energy in unison, and this wave flung Cid backward across the platform. He landed on the floor and writhed in pain, but he quickly reached for his signal beacon and initiated it.

The mouth of this volcanic mountain into which they had passed from its nearby twin, was much smaller in size, but the Fahrenheit hovered over it and opened its cargo door. A dozen commandos in mech-armor came rappelling down on cables, to land on the top platform in the chamber. Once they landed, they rushed down the stone pathway to fight their way through to their comrades. One of these commandos sprinted through the battle with a plasma grenade, and he hurled it into the middle of the Black Elements. When it erupted with a surge of green energy, both of the elemental fiends and the Varuna were melted into pools of black sludge.

The commandos soon finished off the rest of the fiends, annihilating them entirely. Cid slowly got up on his feet and strode shakily toward Yuna, as she laid on the floor with an Al-Bhed combat medic tending to her.

"Let's get her out here, now!" Cid ordered. Yuna opened her eyes and spoke then.

"Uncle, we have to look. Search the chamber." Yuna implored him, before she was lifted up on a collapsible stretcher and carried by two commandos up the pathway to their extraction point. Cid groaned painfully, but then he strode back across the platform and took up his weapon, along with a lantern that one of his men had dropped. He strode cautiously up the path and into the dark entrance of the stone pillar.

When Cid entered the large, column-riddled structure, he found it empty. Omega was not there. He turned and left the chamber then, and hurried to catch up with his men on their way out. They were lifted to the airship one-by-one, and soon they departed from the eastern archipelago.

In her chamber Yuna was tended to by Al-Bhed nurses. Cid came to visit her there. Her eyes fell upon him and brightened slightly, but then she let her head sink into her pillow with weariness. Cid stepped close to her bedside and spoke.

"I searched the place. Omega was gone." He reported. Yuna gazed up at him with a gravely serious expression.

"He was released then. But why have we not heard of it yet? Surely a fiend like that would be causing untold havoc." Yuna surmised. Cid shrugged his shoulders.

"Who knows… maybe it's waiting for the right time to strike… or maybe somebody is keeping it for a special occasion." Cid suggested. Yuna shuddered. After a moment of tense silence, she spoke.

"I need to find Paine. I have to know where she is. Someone must be able to find her. Who could help us?" She asked urgently. Cid scratched the rough beard on his chin and rubbed the tattoo on the right side of his head. Finally he answered.

"We could try asking Barthello's clan, on the northern island called Cale-Albia. It's possible that she might have gone back there. She was married to him, after all." Cid supposed. Yuna brightened up then.

"Lulu told me that Brock's parents live there! Yes, she must be there!" Yuna said with excitement. Her uncle shrugged in uncertainty.

"Maybe… we'll see." Cid replied, and he left the chamber to go to the control room.

When the airship reached northern Cale-Albia, it was after dark. Cid used the same coordinates for landing that he had used when they came to the island originally, and set the ship down. He ordered his men to stay on their guard until morning. When dawn came blazing over the eastern coast and spread her golden radiance upon the peak of Mount Eragal, Cid was watching the island come alive through the glass windows of the control room. He went below to wake Yuna and help her down to the loading bay. Yuna was still stiff and sore from the shock of the black magic that had wounded her yesterday, but she was determined to find Paine.

Cid and Yuna made their way over the green fields and onto a dusty road. They followed this road as it curved between hills and thickets and sparse woods, until they reached a bustling village nearby. In this town there were men riding about on their four-legged steeds, and Yuna wondered at them as Cid explained some of the aspects of life here on this foreign, northern island.

"Those are called horses. They ride them here on the island. They have other interesting animals and customs you'll discover as we go along, I'm sure. Be respectful to their chieftain; he's a big man with a quick temper." Cid advised her. Yuna nodded in acceptance as she glanced around the charming timber structures and the majestic trees and carved stones of the settlement. When they came into the middle of town, many villagers watched them with curious eyes. Soon the doors of the keep in the town center were opened and a big, broad man came striding out. He gazed upon Yuna and Cid with a faint grin upon his bearded face, and he seemed to know the nature of their visit.

"Cid! You have come back! I see you've brought another pretty girl with you… I hope she won't be so much trouble for us as the last one was." He said in a good-natured and boisterous voice.

"Not at all; she's my niece, Yuna. But on that note, she has questions for ya if you'll permit us, great chief." Cid asked for his hospitality. The big chief nodded.

"Come inside; your every need shall be tended to." He invited them, and he beckoned for them to follow as he went back into his keep. They sat close to each other at the long table in his hall. Young maids brought them bread and beer, and a wedges of cheese. Yuna was intrigued by this assortment of treats. She ate gingerly of her food; her appetite had not returned because of the toxins she absorbed from the attack she suffered, yet still she did not want to offend her host. Cid ate and drank his beer quickly, and the girls poured him a refill.

"Tell me, Cid, what has become of the wide world of Spira outside our isle? Is it true that the Eternal Calm has arrived at last?" He asked with a twinkle in his eye. Cid clumsily tried to smile, but he shook his head.

"I'm not so sure you could call what's been happening a 'Calm', but at least Sin is gone. The good ol' boys saw to that, with Barthello's help. I'm sorry that you lost him, of course." Cid said. Then Chief Baerg shook his head once.

"We certainly didn't lose him. My son Brock returned with the news; Barthello was taken up with the Valor, and now he is one of them. Our people do not mourn for the Valiant Dead; immortal glory is theirs and they are untouched by grief." He explained proudly. Cid nodded in silence. Yuna spoke up then.

"What about his widow, Paine?" She asked. A gloomy look was cast upon the chieftain's face then, at mention of his lost God-daughter.

"For her, we do mourn. Sadly she is not with us. Some scouts were keeping an eye on her, as per my son's orders, but several months ago they lost her. She evaded them in Luca and disappeared. None have seen her since, though we have some good men searching Spira for her. Unfortunately, it is not a mission to which I can pledge very many men. We need our warriors here, to fight against the occupation of our country by pirates and mercenary raiders. The hour is drawing near when we must meet them in a battle that will decide the future of our island. We cannot afford to lose." Baerg said grimly.

"She was in Luca a few months ago? Could she still be there? Where else would she have gone?" Yuna asked a flurry of questions.

"She could not have stayed there. My men would have found her again. It would be difficult for a pregnant young girl to go unnoticed in a city full of men, as Luca is now." Baerg surmised. Yuna let out a muffled cry of shock.

"Pregnant!?" She repeated. Baerg nodded sadly.

"Yes, with Barthello's child. Her parents-in-law are beside themselves with grief. They lost their son, their new daughter, and now their grandchild as well. It burns me that I cannot assuage their suffering, but I know not where to look." Baerg said softly. Cid spoke up then, trying to make a suggestion.

"If Barthello is one of the Valor, couldn't we seek him out? Can he find her?" Cid asked.

"He sleeps in Mount Eragal, with Wulfgar's mighty host. Only the sage of our people can guide you there; only he holds the key to the golden door. We need Ruach's help for such a task." The old chief said.

"Where is he, your sage?" Yuna asked eagerly.

"Gone. He spoke of a quest for knowledge, in a desert temple on some distant island. He took a small boat captained by my son, and they left for the southern seas. I pray Lord Valka's benevolence was with them; if they evaded the pirates then they will have been there long ago." Baerg said wistfully.

"They must be talking about Sanubia Temple… but even if they reached Bikanel Island, how could they have crossed the desert? That's a long way to go…" Cid asked with concern.

"Our sage must have known a way, or he would not have gone." Baerg said confidently.

"Now we have all the more reason to go and find him there." Yuna said. Cid nodded in agreement.

"Will you go to find him so soon? I would be thought ill of if my guests did not receive proper hospitality in my keep." Baerg lamented.

"I appreciate your kindness, Sir, and I do not wish to offend, but I am anxious to find my lost friend Paine." Yuna explained. Baerg immediately nodded in understanding.

"I bid you a fond farewell and good luck, dear Yuna. Cid, if I may aid you in any way, you need only ask." The chief offered generously. Cid nodded, and they all stood from their seats as the two visitors made their way back to the Fahrenheit.

"Who are the pirates that he spoke of? Where do they come from?" Yuna asked Cid while they walked along the road.

"I'm sure there's a motley crew of them, but the major block of them would be under Captain Korwin, his Bloody Tide as he calls them. They're a large horde, and they've controlled the eastern coasts of Spira for a long time now. They have enclaves in the eastern archipelago, on the islands around the Omega Ruins." Cid answered.

"Is there any way to stop them?" Yuna asked.

"Sure, with a big enough army and enough firepower, we could stop them. I don't have that, at present. In the meantime, we'll have to move on." Cid said.

"Yes, I need to find Paine." Yuna agreed.

"You sure this sage of theirs can help?" Cid asked.

"If he can take us to Barthello, then yes. The Valor helped to defeat Sin, and Barthello will not allow Paine to be left alone and vulnerable. There are ways to see things from the spirit world that we cannot in ours. Besides, if Ruach is a great sage, then perhaps he can help me rediscover my powers. I need help with many things, and I need advice." Yuna said with determination. Cid nodded and turned his eyes to the Fahrenheit as they drew close to it. They boarded the airship and took off on yet another flight across the world to an exotic place.

Late that morning, Setanta woke up in the private chambers of the Dark Queen. The Queen had risen early and gone to her court, but Raven remained in the bed with him. Her body lay beside his and her limbs were stretched over him. Setanta groaned and stretched his muscles and his back, and slowly pulled out of her grasp to get dressed. As he sat down on the bedside again to pull on his boots, he felt a warm and delicate hand grasp his forearm.

"Where do you think you're going?" She asked in a sultry voice. Setanta chuckled.

"Kingdoms do not come to those who lay in bed all day." He said with a smirk.

"No, but princes might." She said with a lusty smile.

"Princes will need an inheritance." He replied with a grin. Setanta leaned over and kissed her, but then he stood up and threw on his vest as he strode out of the plush chamber and into the passage that led to the throne room. When he arrived he was greeted by warriors and priestesses of the Black Eagle tribe, and they allowed him to pass before the stage and into view of the Queen. She called for him then, and beckoned with her delicate hand and long, sharp nails.

"Brave Setanta, I'm glad you've come. We can discuss some developments of interest to our campaign." She said. Setanta nodded eagerly.

"What news has arrived from Spira?" He asked.

"The news is fortunate for us, not so fortunate for our rivals. In the northern isles, Captain Korwin is strengthening his hold and mustering an invasion force. To the south, a new cult has arisen to challenge Yevon; they call it the Youth League, and it has drawn legions of the young and gullible to its cause, which is to overthrow Bevelle. In the east, a young Ronso warlord has begun to make a name for himself, as he raises an army to plunder and pillage. It is there that I wish to send you. The Ronso is called Garik, and he has rebelled against the tribal elders to start his own tribe with the young warriors of the Ronso race. Our scouts have seen human bandits running with Garik's warriors. It appears that he is making allies in order to expand his reach. You should go to seek him out, and join him." The Dark Queen counseled him. Setanta nodded in agreement.

"I've heard of Garik. I was planning to visit him. Now is probably the best time. He only respects strength, so I'll have to prove myself to him." Setanta said.

"That is why I must send you, of course. You're the most capable of warriors. Take your Red Blade men with you, and a hundred of my Black Eagle warriors also. I will send more reinforcements to join you if the alliance is made strong. Try to reach out to the other tribes as well; there are some left who still have the will to resist Yevon and fight against Bevelle." The Queen directed him. Setanta bowed shortly to her, then he turned and strode out of the throne room and exited the tribal enclave of the Black Eagles.

While Setanta was scrounging up a meal from the stores of the village and smiling at the young girls who passed by staring at him, he was soon met by Raven and his men, along with some Black Eagle warriors.

"The Queen favors you greatly!" Raven said to him with glee.

"I must have made a deep impression. Anyhow, she wants me to go to Mount Gagazet." Setanta said, talking business.

"Yes; I've been given instructions to send warriors with you, under your command. They will take you on the air, but it will still be quite a trip." She said.

"I see… and what will you be doing?" He asked her with a grin.

"I will remain here, to prepare an army to move south, and some reinforcements for you if the bargaining goes in your favor." She said happily.

"I have a feeling it will go in my favor… the question is whether it will turn out well for Garik." Setanta said with a confident smirk. He finished a slice of bread and goat cheese, then he drank his wine and dropped the cask as he went with his newly gained forces to the field where they would mount up for the flight. Raven watched them from the steps of the enclave as a hundred giant black birds took to the sky, and bore their riders eastward to their destination.

After two days of flying and stopping for rest or to camp, the fleet of Zu's brought their riders gliding across the Calm Lands on the way to Mount Gagazet. The band decided to touch down on the trails leading to the mountain caves, where they hoped to find Garik and his warriors. When they landed on the snowy trail, overlooking the long fall down into the rocky canyons of the mountain, they found torches and flagpoles on either side of the entrance to the caves. The banners on these flagpoles rustled faintly in the cold wind, and they bore the standard of a white tiger on a field of blue. Setanta and his men stepped into the caverns and explored the passages of the mountain. As they neared the higher reaches, they were suddenly met there by a squad of big Ronso braves. The Ronso held up their spears and challenged their unexpected guests, to which Setanta responded with uplifted hands.

"We have come on behalf of the Black Eagle tribe from Sin's Wake! We wish to speak with Garik!" Setanta announced. Seeing that they were outnumbered at present, the squad decided to grant his request and they led him up higher through the caves. As the passed along the way they began to see tents and yurts assembled along the sides of the cavern, along with weapons and treasures strewn about. Fighting men and bandits looked upon them with curiosity, while slaves and women stood aside to let them pass, with eyes downcast. Some Ronso women watched them sharply as they passed. More Ronso warriors joined the escorting party, until at last they were surrounded and brought to a large open space on the back side of the mountain, overlooking the ruins of Zanarkand. Here on this plateau there were dozens of yurts and large tents, and many people, both human and Ronso, turned out to greet them. They walked around a large tent in the center of the settlement, and behind it there was a tall, hugely muscular Ronso. His skin was dark blue, his hair and tufts of fur were black, and he was clad in a blazing yellow tunic with red leather armor upon his shins and his forearms. A tawny leather harness was around his broad, mountainous shoulders, upon which weapons could be sheathed. The broad leather bands upon his arms were covered with steel spikes. This huge Ronso was standing with a boulder in his arms, and his muscles flexed and bulged as he repeatedly lifted it from his thighs to his chest. After a few more lifts, he crouched and set down the big stone with a heavy thud, and then he turned to face his visitors.

"Who are these strangers?" He demanded.

"I am Setanta, of the Red Blade clan. I came to speak with Garik, the warlord of Gagazet. I assume that is you?" Setanta replied.

"Correct, human; it is I, Garik, leader of Ronso braves and soon conqueror of north Wilderia. Why have you come?" Garik asked with a fierce glare in his dark amber eyes.

"I have come to offer you an alliance, with myself and with the Dark Queen of Sin's Wake. I have her Black Eagle warriors with me, to join your army." Setanta said, unwavering and confident. Garik scoffed in hostility.

"You're young, boy, to speak of alliances. Perhaps you serve me instead, and join the ranks of my foot soldiers. Perhaps you learn your place!" The giant Ronso said in a condescending tone. Setanta merely shrugged with a smirk on his face.

"Well pardon me, I didn't realize this was an old folks' resort. I thought you were trying to assemble an army here or something. And how old are you exactly?" Setanta asked with a mocking tone. Garik glared at him, and then turned to pick up the stone that he had been exercising with. Once he held it in his arms he turned back to Setanta.

"Here boy, hold onto this for me." He taunted, and he pushed the stone onto Setanta.

"Sure, no problem." The young warrior replied plainly, and he took hold of the boulder and lifted it up over his head. His mighty arms arched above his head, and then he tossed the boulder and it crashed onto the ground a few yards away, so hard that they could feel the ground shake slightly beneath them. Garik was gazing upon Setanta with raised brows then.

"Impressive. So be it. You wish to join?" Garik asked.

"I wish to be considered your equal in an alliance, along with the Dark Queen. All of us will lead an army together against Bevelle and Guadosalam, and of course against the Youth League too." Setanta proposed boldly. Garik chuckled.

"You ask much, boy. If you want that, you must first prove yourself to me." Garik bargained. Setanta tilted his head, and his interest was piqued.

"What do you have in mind?" He asked.

"My tiger-horde has many enemies, even here on Gagazet. If you want to win favor with us and prove your worth, then challenge my enemies to a duel at the top of sacred Mount Gagazet. If you climb the steep slopes and kill Biran and Yenke, then I make you my ally." Garik offered. Setanta nodded with confidence.

"Fair enough. I accept your challenge. Just give me some weapons and I'll get started." Setanta said. Garik nodded to his followers, and they took Setanta to their armory in a large tent nearby. Setanta picked out a tall, oval-shaped shield, painted half red and half white. He took three short throwing spears and fastened them into the bands at the back of the shield, and then he took a straight broadsword and fastened it to the shield as well. He saw a length of rope, and he slung it over his shoulder. Finally he took a Titan Lance from the back corner of the tent, and thus equipped he left the camp to march back through the caves and down to the gate of the mountain where the old Ronso tribe lingered. His Black Eagles and Red Blades followed him down the trail, and when he appeared between the pillars where the Elder Kelk was waiting, he saw a large group of Ronso come striding swiftly up to face him. Kelk stepped between the two forces and spoke up, waving his hands for them to halt.

"Who are you, stranger? Why have you come to Mount Gagazet? What do you want with my people?" Kelk asked him. Setanta smiled wickedly at the elder.

"Relax old man. I'm here for Biran and Yenke. I have a challenge for them!" Setanta announced, loud and proud. Immediately there was growling and gnashing of teeth in the Ronso crowd, and it was followed by loud baying and shouting as Biran and Yenke pushed their way through to the front, calling out angrily to their challenger.

"Who dares to pollute Gagazet with arrogant footsteps? You dare challenge me! Speak!" Biran shouted fiercely as he held his spear ready.

"I am Setanta, the son of Suldane! I challenge both of you to a duel at the top of Mount Gagazet. Climb there and face me, if you dare!" Setanta retorted brusquely. The two Ronso warriors glared at him with utter ferocity, but finally Biran tilted back his head with a loud laugh. Yenke and all of their comrades laughed boisterously, yet Setanta smiled confidently at them all the while. Once they finally settled and were quiet, Setanta spoke again.

"So I take it you accept my challenge?" Setanta asked with a smirk.

"You challenge both of us? You crazy, boy! I will kill you with one hand! You will not even reach the top of sacred Mount Gagazet! You will die in the sacred storm!" Biran belittled him. Setanta merely shrugged.

"So then what are you scared of?" He taunted the Ronso. Biran snapped at him.

"We accept challenge, and if we ever see you at summit, then we crush you!" Biran thundered, and all of the Ronso raised their fists and their spears as they cheered loudly for him. Elder Kelk raised his hands again and spoke.

"What will this challenge prove? Why do you come here to trouble us, outsider?" The old Ronso asked.

"I have heard of the reputation of Biran and Yenke, and I wish to test myself in battle against them." Setanta said, feigning sincerity. Kelk shook his head in disapproval.

"You are a fool, young man. You seek conflict where none need be." Kelk scolded him. Setanta laughed.

"And you seek peace where none can be found, so I guess that makes you an old fool!" Setanta replied, and his men all laughed. The Ronso snarled and cursed at them, but Setanta merely waved his hand at them in dismissal, and then he and his warriors turned back up the trail.

"I'll see you at the summit, boy!" Biran shouted after him.

"Don't slack off down here. If I get to the top first, I'll drop an avalanche on your heads." Setanta threatened. With that, Biran and Yenke took off jogging on the trail, and they went quickly up the slopes on their way to the summit. Setanta followed them, up through the caves and around the rocky precipices that scaled the mountainside. He had to leap and climb, with his shield and weapons tied to his back or to the rope he carried with him, with which he then pulled them up after him. For hours he climbed and jumped. He finally came near the peak in late afternoon, and the sky was darkened by a swirling storm and powerful winds. Setanta knew this climb would be difficult, if not deadly. He saw a precipice faintly beyond the darkness, and he then devised a plan. He tied the rope firmly around the end of his spear-shaft, and hurled the lance up to the precipice. He then tied the other end of the rope to his shield.

Setanta began climbing the rope as some of his Red Blades caught up with him and cheered loudly, chanting his name. He soon disappeared in the storm, and yet he continued to climb until he reached the precipice above the whirlwind. He then pulled his shield and weapons up with him. Once he had collected them, he looked up at the peak of the mountain and found that there was a massive structure upon it. It appeared to be an ancient fortress or station of some kind. Setanta continued to climb and jump from ledge to ledge, until finally he arrived upon a paved platform and stopped to take a brief rest. When he glanced around the structure he saw white stone columns and gray platforms, steps and bridges. There was a cone-shaped structure at the top of the fortress, with many white pillars around it and hundreds of curved tendrils extending from it.

(The theme of the Gagazet duel is "First Kill" by Amon Amarth)

Setanta began walking around the structure, until suddenly he saw a pair of huge dark figures come dashing around from the opposite side of the structure to meet him. They were the two Ronso warriors. Behind them there followed a small band of their comrades who came to observe the duel and cheer for their champions. As Setanta faced them he could hear voices chanting his name. When he looked behind him he saw Zu's landing to drop off their riders, and his men came to cheer him on and watch his back. He saw Garik and a handful of his Ronso braves as well. They all cheered for him and taunted their enemies. Biran strode forward then, shouting to his foe.

"Garik! You are behind this! The human is your pawn!" He roared. Garik merely laughed.

"You took challenge, now fight! If you win, face me next!" Garik said to him. Biran fumed and strode back across the platform to his fellows, whereupon he motioned for Yenke to take the first round so that he could face Garik afterward, or so he thought. Yenke picked up his battle-spear, as well as a throwing spear in his other hand. He came charging forward, roaring and raising his weapon to attack. Setanta let his Titan Lance fall to the floor and drew one of his throwing spears as he held his shield in front of him. Just as his shield went up, the Ronso's throwing spear crashed into it and the spearhead nearly struck Setanta's face. He countered this attack by throwing his own spear, and it flew like a dart into Yenke's left thigh, piercing it through so that the spearhead stuck out on the other side of his leg.

Yenke roared in pain and reached down to pull out the spear. Once he had freed it from his flesh, he hurled it back at Setanta, who ducked just in time to miss it. Producing another throwing spear, the young Red Blade champion hurled it and the weapon shot into Yenke's stomach, impaling his left side just under his ribs. Again the Ronso cried in pain and tried to remove the weapon, but this time he had to brake off the shaft and leave the rest of the weapon embedded in him. All of Setanta's comrades cheered, and Garik laughed uproariously at his enemies. He called to Setanta then.

"Setanta! Bring me their horns, and I will name you a champion and my equal!" Garik offered. Setanta glanced back over his shoulder and nodded, and then he took out his last spear and hurled it into Yenke's chest, puncturing his breastplate and piercing his heart. The Ronso swayed and stumbled, then he tilted and fell back, dropping his spear on the stone platform with a metallic clang as his body crashed beside it. Setanta drew his broadsword and let his shield drop, then he strode proudly over to Yenke's corpse and grabbed the Ronso's horn in one hand, while with the broadsword in the other he swung and hacked it off. All of the Ronso standing with Biran cried out in shock and horror as Setanta tossed the horn back to his followers and they bore it to Garik, who accepted it as a trophy and held it high while he boasted loudly of his triumph. Setanta strode back to pick up his shield and then he faced toward Biran, slapping his sword against his shield in a taunting gesture.

Biran snarled as he looked upon the bloody body of his fallen brother, and he took up his massive spiked club, then he charged forward into battle. Setanta lunged forth and swiftly dodged aside as Biran took the first swing at him. Setanta stung Biran's right arm with the tip of his sword, and immediately knelt down behind his shield as Biran swung his club in a wide arc. The spiked cudgel smashed the top third of Setanta's shield into splinters, and just barely missed Setanta's scalp. The young man responded by jabbing his sword into the Ronso's left leg, just above his knee, and then he lunged backward as the huge club came smashing down and broke upon the stone floor. Biran's primary weapon was broken, so he cast it aside as one of his comrades threw a spear to him. Setanta sheathed his sword as he stepped backward and knelt down to retrieve his lance. As soon as he stood upright again, Biran was bearing down on him and thrusting fiercely with a long spear. The spearhead burst through the middle of his shield and pierced his forearm, and Setanta pulled back swiftly to draw his arm off the weapon. He was bleeding, but he ignored his wound and swung his lance, striking Biran's shoulder with the blade.

The Ronso burst forth then with a powerful dash and smashed into Setanta's shield with his shoulder, knocking the young warrior onto his back. Setanta swung his lance up defensively, but the Ronso grabbed it and yanked it from his grasp. Biran began flailing wildly with both spears then, striking Setanta's shield violently until the young warrior rolled away and sprang up onto his feet, at which point he made an overwhelming charge and tackled the Ronso, knocking him over onto the platform. Biran crashed hard on the floor and dropped the lance, and before he could get up Setanta kicked the spear out of his other hand. Now both of them were disarmed and they began wrestling desperately against each other, flexing their muscles and striking each other fiercely. Biran sank his claws into Setanta's back, until the warrior gripped the triceps on his left arm and crushed them with his powerful hand. Biran cried out in pain while Setanta crouched down and grabbed the Ronso's legs, and uprooted him from the floor to fling him over toward the ledge. Biran landed hard, but he got up and crouched low, as if to tackle Setanta's midriff. Setanta struck first with a powerful punch that crashed into Biran's face, and the Ronso fell back to the floor again. Setanta kicked him wildly as he laid on the floor, and kept kicking him until the Ronso rolled over the ledge.

Biran saved himself just in time by grasping the ledge with his right hand. He could hear the chanting of Setanta's name, and the wails of misery from his comrades as Garik roared and laughed. The laughter echoed around the mountaintop. He saw Setanta standing above him on the ledge then, and felt the warrior's boot step on his fingers. Biran moaned in pain and woe, realizing his defeat. Setanta had the broadsword in one hand, and he knelt down to reach for Biran's horn with the other. He gripped the horn, pulled it up slightly, and then hacked it off with a flash of the broadsword's blade. Lightning arced across the clouds and thunder rolled through the sky, and Biran lost his grip on the ledge. The mighty Ronso fell into the abyss of the swirling storm around Gagazet's slopes. He was gone.

Setanta turned back to face his comrades and his foes, and he held up both arms triumphantly, presenting his reddened blade and the horn of the vanquished at once. His men whooped wildly and rushed to embrace him. Garik strode to meet him with a salute, and took the horn of Biran from him. Garik then held up both horns and taunted his enemies. Those who had stood with Biran hung their heads low, and they all dropped their weapons and knelt before Garik in surrender.

"All Ronso now serve Garik! Garik is lord of Mount Gagazet! And Setanta is champion of the Tiger Horde!" He shouted victoriously, and his words echoed down the slopes and across the sky. The alliance was formed; it would be the woe of the southern lands and Yevon's bane. As Setanta stood panting and bleeding slowly amongst his ardent followers, suddenly the thunder opened up the clouds above, and cool rain washed down over him and the whole mountain, washing away the blood and renewing his spirit. Setanta looked up to the sky, and a flash of lightning above cast its pure white light upon him. He felt then, that he could conquer anything. He was ready for war.


End file.
